A blockbuster move that failed to deliver – The 2025 Formula 1 season will be remembered as one of the most dramatic shake-ups in the driver market in modern history. Lewis Hamilton’s decision to leave Mercedes after over a decade and join Ferrari sent shockwaves through the paddock. The move was highly symbolic: the most successful driver of his generation joining the most famous team in the sport to chase a record-breaking eighth world title.
Expectations were sky-high. Ferrari fans dreamed of a return to glory, while neutrals anticipated a late-career renaissance from the seven-time world champion. However, Hamilton’s debut season with the Scuderia turned into a frustrating and ultimately disappointing campaign. As Charles Leclerc consistently proved himself to be the team’s standout performer, questions began to surface about Hamilton’s form, motivation, and ability to adapt.
One of the most scathing criticisms has now come from the Schumacher camp, with former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher offering a candid analysis of what went wrong.
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Enormous expectations, harsh reality
From the outset, Hamilton’s Ferrari chapter was burdened by immense pressure. Tied with Michael Schumacher on seven world titles, the British driver arrived in Maranello with the chance to make history. However, the reality of modern Formula 1 quickly caught up with him.
Ralf Schumacher revealed that he had been unconvinced long before the season began. In an interview with NextGen Auto, the former Williams and Toyota driver said that he had warned fans not to expect instant success.
“Expectations were enormous,” he said. “I was heavily criticised last winter when I said he wouldn’t be fighting for the world title and that it would take him time to reach Leclerc’s level. That’s exactly what happened.”
In an era of restricted testing and tightly controlled preparation, Schumacher argues that Hamilton was at a disadvantage from day one. Unlike earlier generations, drivers no longer have the luxury of endless private testing to adapt to a new team and car philosophy.
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Searching for lost ‘feel’
According to Schumacher, the core of Hamilton’s struggle lies in feel and confidence rather than raw speed.
‘There’s no more testing like there used to be,” he explained.
“Winter testing would have helped in the past. But, he added, behind the scenes, you hear that he doesn’t like simulators. He’s still searching for his old driving feel.”
This search for familiar sensations proved costly at Ferrari, where Leclerc’s deep understanding of the team and its technical direction gave him a clear advantage. While Hamilton occasionally showed flashes of brilliance, consistency remained elusive.
Schumacher’s comments suggest that Hamilton’s difficulties were not merely technical, but also psychological. Adapting to a new environment late in one’s career, especially under constant scrutiny, can erode confidence — something that even a seven-time world champion is not immune to.
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Schumacher: “It’s a question of mindset”
Schumacher’s most stinging criticism focused on Hamilton’s mentality. ‘This tells me that it’s not just a question of age, but also a question of mentality,’ he said. ‘He’s no longer willing to open up. I know that feeling myself, albeit on a different level.”
The former driver cited Hamilton’s handling of adversity as a major disappointment. “What disappoints me most is the way he handles problems. He pulls in all directions. Then there’s this sense of resignation when things aren’t going well in front of the cameras. From someone with his record, you would expect more.”
For Schumacher, the issue is not that Hamilton struggled — many champions have endured difficult seasons — but how he appeared to respond when things went wrong. Visible frustration and resignation contrasted sharply with the relentless determination that fans had come to associate with Hamilton during his peak years at Mercedes.
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A defining crossroads
Hamilton’s first season at Ferrari has raised uncomfortable questions about his future ambitions and mindset. While his legacy as one of the greatest drivers in Formula 1 history is secure, the Schumacher camp’s assessment suggests that reclaiming past glory may require more than technical adjustments.
Whether Hamilton can regain his confidence, embrace Ferrari’s working methods fully, and silence critics such as Ralf Schumacher remains one of the most compelling storylines heading into the next season.
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NEXT ARTICLE – McLaren’s controversial “papaya rules” about to change after a title-winning season & growing backlash from drivers and pundits
McLaren’s divisive ‘papaya rules’ to change? – The McLaren team’s comeback has been a remarkable Formula One tale. Having ditched Ron Dennis, the legendary team owner and principal in 2017 McLaren’s fortunes have been on the rise.
Dennis was obsessed with being a works based team with an engine supplier solely dedicated to the McLaren cause. And with long term partner Mercedes deciding to adventure once again into owing a team in 2010, this left McLaren on the back foot.
To be fair to Dennis when the new V6 hybrid era began in 2014, the power unit manufacturers who owned teams were allowed preferential treatment under the FIA’s rules. This meant their team would get any PU upgrades first, with customers having to wait until the factory could build enough.
Papaya rules dominate 2025 headlines
All this has now changed since Mercedes’ dominant era and F1 customer teams now must be given the same specification of powertrains that the manufacturers run in their own car. But for McLaren, Dennis’ adventure with Honda was a disaster and saw the team finish a lowly 9th in the constructors’ championship in 2017.
Zak Brown was subsequently appointed CEO of McLaren Racing and their fortunes have been on the up ever since. They are the first ‘customer team’ to win the constructors’ title since Brawn GP in 2009 and for two seasons now have dominated their PU supplier Mercedes.
Yet despite their second team title and Lando Norris maiden F1 championship, McLaren are a team under scrutiny. Much of which comes from their decision to make public their rules of combat between the drivers. ‘Papaya rules’ often dominated the headlines in 2025, with Oscar Piastri finally admitting the team orders in Monza affected his mentality and ultimately his title chance.
The papaya rules are McLaren’s rule book for their drivers which state the team comes ahead of any individual glory, emphasising no contact should be made and the drivers must respect whatever…READ MORE ON THIS STORY
Thiago Treze is a Brazilian motorsport writer at TJ13 with a background in sports journalism and broadcast media, alongside an academic foundation in engineering with a focus on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). This combination of technical knowledge and editorial experience allows Thiago to approach Formula 1 from both a performance and narrative perspective.
At TJ13, Treze covers driver performance, career developments, and key storylines across the Formula 1 grid, while also analysing the technical factors that influence competitiveness. This includes aerodynamic development trends, simulation-driven design approaches, and the engineering decisions that shape race weekend outcomes.
His reporting bridges the gap between human performance and machine development, helping readers understand how driver execution and technical innovation interact in modern Formula 1. Coverage often connects on-track events with the underlying engineering philosophies that define each team’s approach.
With a global perspective shaped by both journalism and technical study, Thiago also focuses on Formula 1’s international reach and the different ways the sport is experienced across regions.
Treze has a particular interest in how Computational Fluid Dynamics and aerodynamic modelling contribute to car performance, offering accessible explanations of complex technical concepts within Formula 1.
