Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari has not yielded the immediate success many expected. Despite his stellar seven-time world championship record, his initial months with the Italian team have been marked by a struggle to consistently achieve podium finishes and fight for race victories. The circumstances surrounding his performance raise questions about the team's ability to address car setup issues and internal complexities that appear to be hindering his progress.
Context of the Season
Hamilton's 2025 season with Ferrari began with a clear objective: to return to challenging for wins. However, the early races painted a different picture.
Race Results: Hamilton's best result in a Grand Prix race is fourth place. While he won the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race in March, this does not count towards his overall record for full Grand Prix races.
Comparison to Teammate: His teammate, Charles Leclerc, has managed three podium finishes, indicating a potential difference in how the car's performance is being leveraged or the issues being encountered by each driver.
Team Performance: Ferrari has generally been observed as the fourth-fastest team on the grid for much of the season.
Key Issues Affecting Performance
Several recurring themes emerge when examining the challenges Hamilton and Ferrari have faced.
Rear-End Instability and Handling
A persistent problem highlighted by multiple sources is the car's unpredictable rear end, which Hamilton struggles to manage.
Driver Feedback: Hamilton has explicitly mentioned "rear-end issues" and the difficulty of feeling the car "underneath him" through corners.
Comparison to Past Season: This unstable rear-end characteristic is noted as being similar to a problem that impacted Hamilton's 2024 season at Mercedes, suggesting a familiar, yet unresolvable, challenge.
Impact on Performance: This lack of stability makes it difficult for Hamilton to fight the car through corners, impacting his ability to extract maximum performance.
Strategic Limitations and Race Incidents
Race strategies have also been a point of contention, with external factors sometimes undermining potential gains.
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Safety Car Impact: The lack of a safety car during the Japanese Grand Prix is cited as a critical factor that "killed" Ferrari's strategy for Hamilton. The team had seemingly counted on such an intervention to improve their race position.
Split Strategy: At the Belgian Grand Prix, a "split strategy" was employed, which the team boss deemed the "right call" to help Hamilton achieve points. This suggests a need for creative solutions to overcome the car's inherent limitations.
Track Limits: An infringement due to track limits at Raidillon during qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix led to the deletion of his lap time, impacting his starting position.
Internal Team Dynamics and Setup
There are indications that broader issues within the team contribute to Hamilton's difficulties.
"Lot Going On": Hamilton has alluded to "a lot going on in the background," including "internal problems within the Italian team," suggesting complexities beyond just car performance.
Car Setup Differences: It is noted that "how they set the car up is completely different," hinting at potential disparities in how the team is approaching car configuration for its drivers.
Pace Fluctuations: Despite some positive assessments, such as being declared "back on the pace" by team boss Fred Vasseur after the Italian Grand Prix, the overall pattern suggests a struggle for consistent high performance.
Optimism and Future Outlook
Despite the present challenges, there are glimmers of hope and stated intentions for improvement.
Team Boss's Confidence: Fred Vasseur, the Ferrari team boss, has expressed optimism, stating Hamilton was "back on the pace" and that he was "loving his positivity." Vasseur is hopeful Hamilton will finish the season strongly.
Focus on Upgrades: Hamilton is looking forward to "upcoming upgrades" that he hopes will "bridge the performance gap" with competitors.
Identified Issues: The team has "managed to identify" issues with the car, and Hamilton is looking forward to the team fixing them.
Expert Analysis
Internal Problems: Hamilton's own admissions point to deeper internal issues within Ferrari, suggesting that the car's performance is not the sole determinant of his struggles.
Familiar Struggles: The recurring problem of an unstable rear end mirrors difficulties from his previous season, raising concerns about the team's ability to address such fundamental design flaws.
Strategic Reliance: The acknowledged reliance on safety cars to influence race outcomes highlights a potential deficit in raw pace, requiring external circumstances to aid strategy.
Conclusion and Implications
Lewis Hamilton's initial period at Ferrari has been characterized by a struggle to meet expectations, primarily due to persistent rear-end instability in the car and what appear to be broader team-related complexities. While his teammate has achieved podiums, Hamilton has been unable to consistently reach that level. The team has identified car issues and expresses optimism for future upgrades and improved performance. However, the recurring nature of some problems, like the rear-end instability, suggests significant challenges lie ahead. The extent to which Ferrari can effectively address these issues will be crucial for Hamilton's ability to compete for victories and for the team to solidify its position among the frontrunners.
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Sources
BBC Sport: https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/articles/c4gkkx3ed5vo - Provides an overview of Hamilton's struggles, race results, and team setup differences.
First Sportz: https://firstsportz.com/f1-lewis-hamilton-tight-lipped-ferrari-issues-amid-struggles/ - Quotes Hamilton on the need for Ferrari improvements and mentions internal team issues.
Motorsport.com (Japanese GP): https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/lewis-hamilton-admits-rear-end-issues-held-back-ferrari-progress-as-no-safety-car-killed-strategy/10710468/ - Details rear-end issues and the impact of the lack of a safety car at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Motorsport.com (Belgian GP): https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ferrari-split-strategy-the-right-call-to-get-hamilton-into-f1-belgian-gp-top-10/10745963/ - Discusses strategic calls and car setup choices for the Belgian Grand Prix.
Sky Sports: https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/30778/13426440/italian-gp-lewis-hamilton-is-back-on-the-pace-says-ferrari-team-boss-fred-vasseur-after-july-struggles - Reports Fred Vasseur's assessment of Hamilton being "back on the pace" after July struggles.
Talksport: https://talksport.com/motorsport/3253565/lewis-hamilton-ferrari-verdict-spanish-grand-prix/ - Lists Hamilton's Grand Prix results and notes his teammate's better podium record.
Scuderia Fans: https://scuderiafans.com/ferrari-now-battling-the-same-problem-that-derailed-lewis-hamiltons-2024-f1-season/ - Highlights the parallel unstable rear-end issue with his 2024 season and average points per weekend.
Big14News: https://www.big14news.com/lewis-hamilton-ferrari-rear-end-issues-strategy/ - Covers rear-end issues, strategy woes at Suzuka, and hopes for future upgrades.
PlanetF1: https://www.planetf1.com/features/five-reasons-lewis-hamilton-struggles-ferrar - Explores reasons for Hamilton not clicking with Ferrari, including stability issues in corners.
