Hamilton warns of a painful season ahead at Ferrari as struggles mount: ‘Car just doesn’t feel right’, confirming a difficult transition from silver to red – Lewis Hamilton’s long-awaited move to Ferrari was always going to make headlines. The seven-time world champion’s switch from Mercedes to the Scuderia ahead of the 2025 season was seen by many as a bold attempt to rekindle a legacy with F1’s most storied team. But just five races into the season, the early returns are far from encouraging, but Ferrari remain bullish declaring when their big update package will land in order to help the British driver.
Hamilton openly admits that his SF-25 car is simply not behaving the way he needs it to, and after a difficult weekend in Jeddah, Hamilton’s frustrations boiled over. The Saudi Grand Prix ended with Hamilton in seventh place, more than half a minute behind team-mate Charles Leclerc, who secured a well-deserved podium for the team with a third place finish. The gulf between the two Ferrari drivers was evident not only in the result, but also in the way each man was able – or unable – to handle the car.
“There was never a moment where it felt good,” said Hamilton in his post-race comments. “I was just sliding. First stint: a lot of understeer, the car wasn’t turning. Second stint: a bit better, but still no pace.”
In a brief 32-second media interview, the man who once mastered cars with razor-sharp precision was visibly shaken. and appeared lost.
Stylistic clashes and mechanical mismatches
Hamilton’s trademark driving style, honed over more than a decade at Mercedes, is built around late braking and aggressive front-end grip. But the Ferrari SF-25 doesn’t play to those strengths. He’s found the car reluctant to rotate as needed through key corners, particularly Saudi Arabia’s complex and high-speed sequences such as turns four to five and thirteen.
Leclerc, on the other hand, appeared to be far more comfortable and able to carry more speed through the same sections.
One of the most glaring technical hurdles facing Hamilton is the braking system. While Mercedes used Carbon Industries braking components, Ferrari continues to work with Brembo. The change, subtle as it may seem, has a significant impact on braking feel and control – a factor that is amplified by Ferrari’s unique engine braking philosophy.
For a driver whose confidence is anchored in precise braking inputs, this change has disrupted his rhythm and consistency.
“It’s not just about finding grip,” a Ferrari engineer reportedly said after the race. “It’s about rebuilding confidence in what the car will do when you brake or turn the wheel. Lewis hasn’t got that confidence yet.”
The unreported mistake max won’t admit to
Scepticism from the commentary box
Not everyone is convinced by Hamilton’s explanation. Sky Sports’ Martin Brundle, a veteran analyst and former driver, doubted that technical adjustments alone could explain the continued gap between the Briton and his team-mate.
“We’re almost in May and he’s had the whole winter to test,” said Brundle.
“I think Lewis can’t find the right set-up. But if [Oliver] Bearman could do it in one day last year, why can’t Hamilton do it now?”
Brundle and others in the paddock believe the problem may be psychological rather than mechanical. There is a growing narrative that Hamilton is struggling to come to terms with the limitations of the SF-25 and what it demands of him, rather than the car being fundamentally incompatible.
The trend is worrying: Hamilton shines briefly – as in his sprint victory in China – but falters when it matters most, as in the following Grand Prix. It suggests inconsistency in both set-up and mindset, a worrying combination for someone trying to establish himself in a new environment.
Leclerc surges as Hamilton falters
While Hamilton reflects on a “painful year”, Leclerc is quietly rebuilding his case as Ferrari’s future. After a rocky 2024 campaign, the Monegasque driver appears rejuvenated. His podium finish in Saudi Arabia, Ferrari’s first of the season, came not through luck or attrition but through measured aggression and flawless execution.
“I didn’t expect this result,” said Leclerc after the race. “I thought this race would be all about defending. But we really maximised everything.”
His comments contrasted sharply with Hamilton’s gloomy outlook, painting a picture of a driver and a team still in sync. Team principal Fred Vasseur echoed that sentiment, but also expressed concern about Hamilton’s mental state.
“If he was happy with seventh, I would be very worried,” said Vasseur.
“I’m behind him 2,000 per cent.” But he also admitted that Hamilton seems to be fighting as much with himself as he is with the SF-25.”
A look at the standings: A sobering view
After five races, Hamilton is seventh in the drivers’ standings with 33 points – 68 behind championship leader Oscar Piastri and 17 behind Leclerc. His qualifying pace has also been underwhelming. In Jeddah he was over half a second slower than his team-mate, and barely scraped through to Q2 ahead of Alex Albon.
A far cry from the driver who won the sprint in China just a few weeks ago. The yo-yoing performance points to deeper systemic issues, both with car development and Hamilton’s acclimatisation.
Asked if improvements were on the horizon, Hamilton was blunt: “There’s no solution at the moment. It’s going to be like this for the rest of the year. It’s going to be painful.”
Ferrari’s evolution & next hope: Big upgrade coming for Hamilton
Ferrari have acknowledged their current shortcomings and are working to improve, although team principal Fred Vasseur has made it clear that change will not come quickly. With the next Grand Prix in Miami featuring a sprint format, development will instead focus on the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola – one of Ferrari’s home races in Italy.
“We will probably bring updates to Imola,” confirmed Vasseur. “Miami has the sprint race and little time to work. Imola gives us a better window.”
While Ferrari have shown strong race pace, their one-lap performance – particularly in qualifying – remains a glaring weakness. Leclerc, Vasseur and the technical team believe they’ve identified key areas for improvement, particularly with aerodynamics and the floor, which was introduced for the first time in Bahrain. These improvements are aimed at brining Hamilton closer to Leclerc in terms of qualifying pace.
“We have to be honest with ourselves and analyse the situation,” said Vasseur. “Once you understand where the problems are, you can work on solving them.”
Report: ‘Lawrence Stroll is furious with Newey’
A season that could define Hamilton’s Ferrari legacy
The situation in which Hamilton finds himself is precarious. Ferrari may not be in crisis, but it is a team under enormous pressure and with an unforgiving fan base. The initial optimism surrounding Hamilton’s arrival is quickly giving way to a more cautious and, in some quarters, critical assessment.
For a driver used to winning, who expected to be battling McLaren and Red Bull for podiums and victories, it is a rude awakening to be running behind Aston Martin and occasionally threatened by Alpine. His dream of returning Ferrari to glory could turn into a season of soul-searching.
The next few weeks will be crucial. If the upgrades at Imola bring tangible progress, Hamilton could rediscover confidence and purpose. But if the gap at the front remains – and Leclerc continues to outperform him – questions will inevitably be asked about whether this historic partnership will ever reach the heights it has promised.
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The 2025 Formula One season is shaping up to be an epic, with four drivers from three different teams in the hunt for the world championship. The top three are covered by just twelve points after five race weekends with the world champion refusing to give up his title easily despite the McLaren MCL39 being there class of the field.
Verstappen won his only race of the year today in Japan, when as in Jeddah a remarkable final effort in qualifying saw him pinch pole position by mere hundredths of a second. The resurfaced track in Suzuka meant that tyre degradation was minimal and this meant Verstappen was able to hold off the McLaren pair behind him as their superior tyre advantage was nullified.
A mistake from Verstappen in Jeddah, saw Oscar Piastri make the better start of the two on the front row and the stewards decided the resulting mess in turn one was the Red Bull driver ‘gaining an unfair advantage’ and a decisive five second penalty was issued to Max who…READ MORE ON THIS STORY
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This heap of a car that Ferrari have supplied Lewis with is clearly not working for him. On a personal note he should walk away with his records intact and head held high, and leave them to sort it out. Not like he needs the Dosh.