Last Updated on December 19 2025, 12:37 pm
Vasseur gives Hamilton an ultimatum: ‘He needs to learn fast’ – Lewis Hamilton’s first season with Ferrari has fallen well short of expectations, prompting a frank assessment from team principal Frédéric Vasseur.
Hamilton’s difficult debut season at Ferrari did not happen in isolation. In many respects, it represents the continuation of a decline that began after the controversial 2021 Formula 1 title decider in Abu Dhabi. Having won six world championships in seven seasons after moving to Mercedes, Hamilton has endured the most challenging period of his career in the last four years.
The immediate aftermath of 2021 saw Mercedes fall behind under new regulations, and Hamilton struggled to consistently compete at the top level. While his standards remained high, the results that had once defined his career became increasingly rare.
The Mercedes years were marked by diminishing returns
In 2022, Hamilton failed to win a Grand Prix for the first time in his Formula 1 career. Nevertheless, he secured nine podium finishes in a Mercedes car that was widely acknowledged to be fundamentally flawed. The following season, the trend continued. In 2023, Hamilton recorded just six podium finishes, although he finished in the points in all but two races, with retirements in Qatar and Austin disrupting an otherwise consistent campaign.
A partial revival followed in 2024. Hamilton returned to the top step of the podium twice, winning at Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps; however, the latter victory came after his teammate George Russell was disqualified. By then, however, it was increasingly clear that Mercedes’ future plans no longer revolved around their most successful driver.
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Why Hamilton left Mercedes
Russell outperformed Hamilton in two of their three seasons together, and contract negotiations with Mercedes became increasingly strained. Hamilton’s desire for a long-term ambassadorial role was rejected, and the eventual contract extension was for just one year.
In a book released at the end of 2024, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff described Hamilton’s departure as a ‘blessing in disguise’, citing the realities of performance longevity at the elite level. By that stage, it was evident that Mercedes viewed Russell and the up-and-coming Kimi Antonelli as key to its future.
For Hamilton, the move to Ferrari was as much about self-preservation as ambition.
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Ferrari’s struggles deepen the narrative
Hamilton joined Ferrari hoping to emulate Michael Schumacher, the driver he had idolised growing up, who had helped to transform the Scuderia in the late 1990s. However, 2025 proved to be one of the most challenging seasons of Hamilton’s career.
He failed to secure a single podium on Sundays, setting an unwanted record for a new Ferrari driver. Qualifying was particularly painful, with Charles Leclerc outperforming him 19–5, and the race head-to-head standing at 20–4. The season ended with four consecutive Q1 eliminations.
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Ultimatum issued by Vasseur
Following these underperformances and missed opportunities, Vasseur believes that both the team and its seven-time world champion driver must adapt if Ferrari is to move forward. The French Ferrari team boss is under huge pressure to deliver quickly or risk being sacked.
In an interview with Corriere dello Sport, Vasseur emphasised that progress hinges on closer collaboration and improved mutual understanding between Hamilton and the Scuderia.
“We need to improve our collaboration with Lewis.” the Frenchman conceded, but then issued a warning to Hamilton that “He needs to learn how to get the most out of the car” and “at the same time, we need to better understand exactly what he needs,” he said.
Despite the lone bright spot during the sprint race in China, where Hamilton secured a victory that hinted at his potential with the team, the season has been unsuccessful. However, that success did not translate into sustained performance over full race distances.
Vasseur acknowledged that the outcome was unacceptable for a driver and team of Ferrari’s stature, but rejected the idea that the blame lies solely with Hamilton.
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Adapting to a different car philosophy
One of the key challenges has been Hamilton’s adjustment to the characteristics of the Ferrari car. Having spent his entire championship-winning era with Mercedes, adapting to a different design philosophy has proven more difficult than anticipated.
Vasseur emphasised that this learning process is ongoing. He suggested that Hamilton must refine his driving approach to better suit the car, while Ferrari engineers must tailor their development and setup choices more closely to his preferences.
Throughout the season, however, Hamilton has remained vocal about the need for change within Ferrari, shifting the responsibility onto them.
He referred to detailed documents he had prepared for senior management throughout the season, outlining lessons learned from his time at Mercedes and proposing structural improvements he deemed necessary.
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Ferrari managers do not appreciate Hamilton’s ‘help’
History suggests that such interventions are rarely welcomed in Maranello. Former Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene, who led the Scuderia between 2015 and 2019, has spoken critically about similar efforts by past drivers. Referring to Sebastian Vettel’s attempts to influence Ferrari’s internal processes, Arrivabene told Sky Italia: “Sebastian Vettel also sent such dossiers. He wrote, spoke and shared everything.” He added bluntly: ‘They were almost useless.’
Arrivabene drew a clear line between the roles of drivers and the engineering group. ‘When a driver starts playing engineer, that’s it. Then it’s really over,” he said. ‘The driver must provide relevant feedback so that the engineers can make targeted improvements. Everyone should mind their own business.”
The parallels with Hamilton’s current situation are hard to miss. While Ferrari insists it values his experience, its culture has long resisted driver-led reform. Whether Hamilton’s calls for change will be embraced or quietly dismissed may ultimately determine how much time he has left to turn his fortunes around in red.
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Looking ahead to improvement
That said, despite the disappointing season, Ferrari is not questioning Hamilton’s commitment or ability. Vasseur emphasised that the focus is now on learning from mistakes and building a stronger working relationship in preparation for future campaigns.
“We all have to do better,” he said, referring to both the driver and the team.
For Ferrari, the challenge is clear: to turn a painful debut season into a foundation for progress. Hamilton must adapt quickly to prove that his move to Maranello can deliver the success both parties envisaged. Failure to achieve that will surely mean a prompt exit for both Hamilton and Vasseur from the Scuderia.
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A senior writer at TJ13, C.J. Alderson serves as Senior Editor and newsroom coordinator, with a background in online sports reporting and motorsport magazine editing. Alderson’s professional training in media studies and experience managing content teams ensures TJ13 maintains consistency of voice and credibility. During race weekends, Alderson acts as desk lead, directing contributors and smoothing breaking stories for publication.
A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13 and a career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media. Having trained in investigative journalism and contributed to several European sports outlets, Hunt brings rigour and polish to every article. His role is to sharpen analysis, check facts and ensure TJ13’s daily output meets the highest editorial standards.
