Hamilton slams Ferrari

Hamilton reveals exact reason Ferrari is too slow – If anyone thought Lewis Hamilton would pull his punches during his first year at Ferrari, they must be new here. The seven-time world champion has already given a very clear diagnosis of what’s stopping the Prancing Horse from galloping past the competition. Spoiler alert: it’s not the engine, it’s the cornering. Specifically, the low-speed kind, and Hamilton is tired of dancing around it — quite literally.

Sprint race aside, Lewis Hamilton has not graced a Grand Prix podium since donning the red overalls of Scuderia Ferrari. That’s right, not once in 2025 has the most decorated driver on the grid stood atop that hallowed step with a bottle of Ferrari Trento in hand. And while the SF-25 has shown glimpses of pace, it appears it also has a nasty little habit of resisting driver input like a stubborn mule in slow corners.

 

Overdrive Mode: Engaged

Hamilton isn’t merely struggling, he’s fighting a war of attrition against the car’s handling characteristics. The issue? Chronic low-speed understeer. And when Sir Lewis says he’s “overdriving” the car just to keep up, it’s not just for dramatic effect.

Speaking to reporters, the British star shared his frustrations, saying, “We have low-speed understeer, which is inherent with this car. I think we’re over-driving to get that extra bit of time, but on actual pure pace, the car is as quick as those ahead.”

Which is a polite way of saying, “If this thing would just turn when I ask it to, we’d be in with a shout.”

 

A Familiar Engine, But Unfamiliar Tricks

At the start of the season, Hamilton had already pointed to the unfamiliar sensation of engine braking as something that caught him off guard.

Having spent 12 long years in a Mercedes that he practically moulded around himself, adapting to Ferrari’s quirks has been a slow process. But recent races suggest he’s making headway. He’s out-qualified Charles Leclerc at three of the last four rounds, only missing out by a whisker in Austria. And while fourth place might not seem like headline-grabbing form for a man of his calibre, back-to-back P4s at Spielberg and Silverstone indicate something is finally clicking.

Ferrari, for its part, is doing its best to keep the ship afloat. Engineers in Maranello are knee-deep in rear suspension upgrades, hoping to resolve the SF-25’s ride height issues. If they succeed, both Hamilton and Leclerc could run the car lower, unlocking that delicious ground effect performance that’s been hiding like a truffle in the Italian countryside.

But suspension alone won’t save the day. Not if the nose still refuses to obey basic steering commands at hairpins and chicanes.

 

Hamilton Wants More — and Not Just Speed

Hamilton’s critique wasn’t limited to a moan about the balance. He hinted at something deeper — a car that, while capable on paper, demands too much from its driver to extract the lap time.

“We’re probably having to do a little bit too far, which is making the car a bit more peaky,” he explained. “So we need to find a little bit more performance.”

Let’s unpack that, shall we? What he’s really saying is that while the Ferrari can keep up over one lap, it comes at a cost — consistency, comfort, and race-long confidence. In short, Ferrari’s car is like a diva opera singer. When it hits the right note, it’s glorious. But it needs coaxing, coddling, and constant compromise to get there.

Hamilton, as ever, is looking for a car that responds to his rhythm, not one that demands a tango when he’s trying to waltz.

 

The Bigger Picture: Progress or Plateau?

All this paints an intriguing picture for Ferrari. On one hand, they’ve made clear gains. Hamilton adapting to the car, outqualifying Leclerc and delivering consistent top-five results shows they’re not stuck in reverse. On the other hand, unless the low-speed cornering problem is solved, they might be flirting with a ceiling they can’t break through.

And it’s not like the opposition is standing still. McLaren’s upward march continues, Red Bull remains a threat even with internal chaos, and Mercedes is lurking in the shadows, engine deals and Verstappen rumours swirling in the air like Italian espresso steam. For Ferrari, this is not a time for polite progress. It’s a time for bold decisions and daring fixes.

Rear suspension tweaks are great, but if Hamilton’s feedback is anything to go by, the understeer ghost must be exorcised, and quickly. Because there’s only so long you can ask a world champion to “overdrive” before the frustration starts outweighing the potential.

 

Can Ferrari Fix It Before Hamilton Loses Faith?

That’s the million-euro question, isn’t it? Ferrari has a star driver who knows how to win, a car that occasionally flatters to deceive, and a fanbase with the patience of a caffeine-starved tifoso. The signs of improvement are real, yes. But so are the flaws.

Hamilton’s feedback is as precise as ever — point out the understeer, note the peaky handling, and offer just enough praise to remind everyone that the problem isn’t him, it’s the machinery.

Whether Ferrari listens is another matter entirely. If they do, we may yet see the red suit on the podium before season’s end. If they don’t, well… the Scuderia may soon find themselves scrambling to explain why their prized British import is getting itchy feet after just one season.

So, what do you, the jury, make of Hamilton’s comments? Is he right to be concerned, or should he just put his head down and adapt? Is this another classic case of Ferrari squandering a golden opportunity, or are they quietly building toward something big?

Drop your verdict in the comments below — because this courtroom isn’t closing any time soon.

Published by The Judge.

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