Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari Frustrations: A Painful Season Ahead?
Lewis Hamilton’s transition to Ferrari in 2025 was one of the most anticipated moves in recent Formula 1 history — a seven-time world champion joining the sport’s most iconic team. But just a few races into the season, the dream scenario is turning into a difficult reality.
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was yet another chapter in what has been a challenging start for Hamilton at Scuderia Ferrari. After finishing a lonely seventh, more than 30 seconds behind his teammate Charles Leclerc, Hamilton’s frustrations were clear — both on the track and in front of the media.
Despite a promising win in the Shanghai Sprint last month, Hamilton has since struggled to match Leclerc in both qualifying and races. In Jeddah, the performance gap between the two Ferrari drivers was particularly stark, with Leclerc securing Ferrari’s first podium of the season while Hamilton fought to stay inside the top ten — and even found himself finishing behind Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, the young driver who took his seat at his former team.
Speaking to the media after the race, Hamilton didn’t mince words. “It was horrible, not enjoyable at all,” he said. “I was just sliding around. I didn’t have grip. First stint, massive understeer, car not turning, and then massive deg. The second stint, slightly better balance but still just no pace. Pretty bad.”
When asked if there was anything positive to take from the race, he replied: “Nothing, except for Charles finishing on the podium, which is great for the team.”
Perhaps most concerning for Hamilton fans was his brutally honest admission that there may be no short-term solution. “At the moment there’s no fix. So, this is how it’s going to be for the rest of the year. It’s going to be painful,” he said.
The frustration has been brewing for some time. Even before the race, Hamilton told reporters he would need a “brain transplant” to fully understand and adapt to Ferrari’s SF-25. And after the race, his short responses to questions revealed a driver who, despite his experience, is still searching for answers.
Acknowledging Leclerc’s strong performances, Hamilton admitted, “Obviously the car is capable of finishing on the podium – Charles did a great job today – so I can’t blame the car.” But when asked why he alone was struggling, his response was blunt: “I don’t know.”
As the season continues, Hamilton’s adaptation to Ferrari remains one of the biggest storylines to watch. With no clear fix in sight, 2025 could be a season of growing pains rather than glory.
