Hamilton’s Ferrari dream turns sour: Growing gap with Leclerc raises tough questions – Lewis Hamilton’s much-anticipated move to Ferrari in 2025 began on a wave of optimism. After all, a new chapter at the most legendary team in F1 history seemed like the perfect stage for the seven-time world champion to launch a late-career renaissance. But as the season has progressed, worrying patterns have emerged. Hamilton is increasingly struggling against team-mate Charles Leclerc, and the gap between them is widening with each race.
Promising start in Australia masks early problems. Hamilton’s debut for Ferrari in Melbourne offered early signs of hope. Despite a tactical misstep in a rain-soaked race, Hamilton managed to salvage a tenth-place finish. His raw pace compared to Leclerc was encouraging in parts of the track, particularly in the slower corners, although he visibly lost time in fast, sweeping sections such as Turn 6 and Turn 13.
Ferrari’s internal data showed that while Hamilton was adapting well to certain dynamics of the SF-25, there were early signs that stability and balance could become significant issues at high speeds. However, given the minimal testing he had done with the car prior to the season, optimism remained high.
Breakthrough in China, but storm clouds gathering
The real highlight of Hamilton’s early tenure at Ferrari came in China. Hamilton stunned the paddock by taking pole for the sprint race and converting it into his first win in red, beating not only Leclerc but also some key rivals from McLaren and Red Bull. He even outqualified Leclerc for the Grand Prix itself, suggesting that he had finally found a groove with the SF-25.
Sunday’s race, however, told a different story. Hamilton’s pace dropped dramatically. Even after Leclerc damaged his front wing early in the race, Hamilton was unable to capitalise, admitting afterwards that a poor set-up probably cost him. The sprint victory proved to be more of a blip than the start of a full-fledged comeback.
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Struggles mount as season progresses
From Japan, the picture became even more worrying. At Suzuka, Hamilton struggled mightily with understeer in qualifying, a problem that only worsened during the race. As Leclerc roared to a strong finish, Hamilton faded badly, his frustration becoming increasingly evident.
Hamilton cryptically remarked after the race: “There’s a deficit in my car that I feel, something that Leclerc doesn’t seem to have. Although he did not elaborate, the hints pointed to problems with the car’s ride height and bounce – a hangover from Ferrari’s difficulty in taming the ground effect dynamics of the modern F1 era.
Bahrain and Saudi Arabia offered little respite. Although Ferrari introduced a floor upgrade for Bahrain, Hamilton could only qualify ninth, and although he showed some glimpses of pace in the slow corners, he continued to lose time in the faster sections. His best finish to date remains fifth in Bahrain, while Leclerc has consistently battled near the front.
Saudi Arabia was another low point. Hamilton barely squeezed into Q3, finishing seventh, lamenting afterwards: “The car had no grip or balance anywhere. Every corner was a battle. Despite obvious efforts to adjust his driving style, Hamilton continued to fall behind Leclerc’s pace.
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A deep-seated mismatch between car and driver
Hamilton’s natural driving style, characterised by aggressive braking and rear-axle rotation to turn the car into corners, seems ill-suited to the Ferrari SF-25. The ground effect regulations demand a very different technique, one that minimises movement in pitch and ride height – the very parameters that Hamilton exploited so effectively during his dominant Mercedes years.
Adding to the difficulty is Hamilton’s switch to Brembo brakes. After years of working with Carbon Industries braking systems at Mercedes, the different feel and modulation required by the Brembo units has disrupted Hamilton’s famous sensitivity under braking.
Even as Hamilton tries to adapt, the underlying problems remain. In Saudi Arabia, the telemetry showed that Hamilton was losing time everywhere, not just in certain corners. This points to a more fundamental problem: Hamilton is not yet at one with his new machine.
Leclerc flourishes as Hamilton falters
While Hamilton fights his demons, Charles Leclerc seems to be getting more and more out of the SF-25. In Japan, Leclerc openly stated that he had finally developed a deeper understanding of the car’s behaviour, leading to better qualifying results and a podium finish in Saudi Arabia.
However, Leclerc is not entirely satisfied. After qualifying fourth in Jeddah, he remarked: “Even with a good lap, it is not good enough to finish higher. Ferrari remain two to three tenths a lap behind the leaders, but Leclerc’s ability to consistently exploit the car’s potential has significantly widened the gap between him and Hamilton.
The widening gap has fuelled speculation as to whether Ferrari’s current car concept is fundamentally unsuited to Hamilton’s abilities. Despite the public support of team principal Fred Vasseur, who insists: “We support Lewis 2,000 per cent,” the harsh reality is setting in. If the pattern continues into the European rounds, comparisons with Daniel Ricciardo’s struggles at McLaren will be hard to avoid.
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Miami looms as a critical juncture
The next few races, starting with the Miami Grand Prix, will be crucial to Hamilton’s hopes of salvaging his season. Hamilton himself admits that he knows what he needs to change, but implementing those changes under the intense pressure of race weekends is another matter entirely.
The clock is ticking. Every race in which Hamilton finishes behind Leclerc undermines his confidence and makes the mountain that much steeper to climb.
Brundle’s analysis sheds light on Hamilton’s struggles
Former driver and current analyst Alex Brundle has taken a closer look at Hamilton’s data and found some worrying trends. Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Brundle revealed that Hamilton’s braking style is upsetting the Ferrari’s balance in fast corners.
“I look at Lewis’ data every weekend and the characteristic is the same,” Brundle explained. “He goes into the fast corners, brakes a bit harder than Leclerc. So he just disturbs the Ferrari everywhere. Leclerc is just Mr Controlled on the brakes.
The analysis reinforces the notion that Hamilton’s instinctive driving habits, honed over more than a decade at Mercedes, clash with the DNA of Ferrari’s SF-25.
Carlos Sainz, now driving for Williams after replacing Hamilton at Ferrari, faced a similar challenge at the start of the season but has managed to turn his form around with strong results in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Whether Hamilton can achieve a similar turnaround remains to be seen.
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A battle against time and self
The next phase of Hamilton’s Ferrari journey will be crucial. The pressure is mounting with each passing weekend. If Hamilton can adapt and overcome these technical and psychological hurdles, it will be one of the most impressive reinventions in F1 history. If not, the dream of a title in red could slip away sooner than anyone expects.
For now, the spotlight remains firmly on Hamilton as the paddock turns its attention to Miami, where he must deliver a statement performance to reignite his Ferrari adventure.
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