Ferrari are getting to the stage where Lewis Hamilton’s lack of pace with them is starting to get a bit concerning.
There’s little explanation as to why the Briton has struggled since a winter switch from Mercedes, but he’s down in sixth in the drivers’ championship, without a Grand Prix trophy in 2025.
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Hamilton has tried changing multiple things on the SF25, but he’s now approaching a stage where his energy is better placed in the effort for next year’s car.
It means that the last 10 races of the season could be a tough fight for Ferrari, as they attempt to hold onto second place in the constructors’ standings.
Lewis Hamilton struggling at Ferrari
The gap between Hamilton and Charles Leclerc has been clear this season. Leclerc sits comfortably ahead by 52 points and is still mathematically in title contention.
Despite trying several changes to his setup throughout 2025, Hamilton hasn’t found anything that works. It looks like he’ll have to wait until next year for any real improvement from Ferrari.
Hamilton had issues with a key figure at Ferrari, and even after changes were made at the Belgian Grand Prix last month, he still isn’t satisfied – especially with how the brakes feel.
It’s believed that Ferrari have been hit harder than most by a rule change this year, and that may have something to do with why they’ve dropped off the pace.
Francesco Cigarini thinks the team need someone like Niki Lauda in their ranks – a figure who can act as an intermediary between Hamilton and the engineering staff.
“I made a post [on Instagram] a little while ago, because I was thinking about this situation and it occurred to me that something that Hamilton was very good [at Mercedes],” he told Formula1.it.
“And that doesn’t exist in a role at Ferrari – is a Niki Lauda: someone who acts as a link between the team and the driver, conveying what Hamilton wants perhaps in a slightly less brazen way.
“Someone who acts as a spokesperson and acts as a glue between the whole team and the driver: this was what Lauda could do well and what was good for Hamilton.”
Lewis Hamilton experiencing lowest point of his Formula 1 career
Fred Vasseur was initially worried about a change to the rear suspension on the Ferrari, but it seems to have paid off – at least for one side of the garage.
Charles Leclerc showed impressive speed in Hungary, grabbing pole and leading a good portion of the race, while Hamilton finished outside the points.
The 40-year-old is enduring the longest podium drought of his career, with no clear sign of that changing soon.
A rain-affected Dutch Grand Prix could give him a chance to turn things around, though Ferrari have had their share of struggles in wet conditions this year.
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