Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton’s move to Scuderia Ferrari has turned into a nightmare for three main reasons.
The 40-year-old Brit is regarded as one of the sport’s greatest drivers, having accumulated 105 race wins and over 200 podiums.
Hamilton burst onto the scene in 2007 with his electrifying pace that shocked the world. In his first season, he led the championship until the last race and could have won the title if not for a rookie mistake in China.
A year later, he won his first title and became one of the biggest names in the sporting world. Hamilton’s complete dominance, however, came during his era with Mercedes, where he won six titles with the Brackley-based team.
Lewis Hamilton fails to get back to his best at Ferrari
At his peak, Hamilton battled rivals like Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg, often coming out on top, solidifying his status as one of the sport’s greats.
In 2021, it seemed Hamilton was on track to win his eighth record title, but a late safety car and an error from a race director caused him to lose the title to young Max Verstappen. In 2022, new ground effect regulations caused both Mercedes and Hamilton to struggle for wins.
As age and a lack of drive set in, the seven-time champion fell behind while young talents like Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, George Russell, and Lando Norris became the stars of the show.
Why has Lewis Hamilton struggled at Ferrari?
In 2024, Hamilton “broke the internet” when he announced he would be joining Ferrari. Initially, it appeared that the 40-year-old’s move from struggling Mercedes was a masterstroke, given how the Italian team was winning races in the latter half of 2024.
However, after a few races with Ferrari, it became evident that Hamilton would struggle more than anyone expected.
Here are three reasons why Lewis Hamilton has struggled at Ferrari this season:
Issues with his Race Engineer
For 11 years, Hamilton enjoyed a great relationship with his Mercedes engineer, Peter ” Bono” Bennington. The two formed a dynamic duo, and whenever Hamilton had issues with the car, Bono would assist him immediately.
At Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton‘s engineer, Riccardo Adami, has not been as helpful. There has often been a lack of understanding between the two, which has cost Hamilton valuable points. The language barrier and lack of direction from Ferrari have demoralised the once-celebrated driver.
In fact, this week, four-time champion Sebastian Vettel revealed that he had advised Hamilton to learn Italian upon his move to Ferrari.
“I learned Italian, I took classes, I sort of understood, but I wasn’t perfect. That’s a crucial mistake I’ve made. I told Lewis [Hamilton] when he moved to Ferrari, the advice I can give is to learn the language really well,” Vettel said.
Problems with Ferrari and Poor Management
Ferrari has failed to build a competitive and stable car, which has left them struggling, arguably as the fourth-best team at best. Hamilton left an organised Mercedes garage to confront Ferrari’s lack of accountability and internal politics.
F1 commentator Martin Brundle noted that Lewis Hamilton aspired to emulate Michael Schumacher’s success at Ferrari.
“He wanted to go there and do a Michael Schumacher,” Brundle said.
“Michael went with Ross Brawn, Rory Byrne, Jean Todt, and Stefano Domenicali was there, along with the brilliance of the Ferrari team. It still took a number of years to turn Ferrari around. That was really the last time they were truly dominant, truly the team to beat.”
Lack of Qualifying Pace
Since 2023, Hamilton’s performance in qualifying has diminished. He was once the best qualifier on the grid, boasting 103 pole positions, but his last pole came in Hungary in 2023. While he outqualified a very fast George Russell in 2022, which showcased he still had raw one-lap pace, it has been evident in 2024 that Russell has consistently outqualified Hamilton.
At Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton has once again been let down by his poor qualifying results. The 2025 season has been dubbed the “qualifying championship,” given how difficult it has been to overtake at most circuits.
