Lewis Hamilton struggled through his most difficult F1 season in 2025, but there were reasons behind the results.
After 12 years with Mercedes, Hamilton had to get used to life at Ferrari, while Charles Leclerc, who easily won their head-to-head matchup, had been with the team since 2019.
If the car had been more competitive, the transition might have been easier. It’s probably not a coincidence that his standout performance came in the China Sprint when Ferrari looked at their strongest.
The SF-25 was inconsistent and needed to be raised after a disqualification later on. But Hamilton is hoping this year’s car will show more signs of his influence.
Lewis Hamilton Not a Fan of the Ferrari F1 Simulator
Throughout much of last season, Hamilton often noted that he was driving the Ferrari for the first time on several tracks.
In theory, this should have made the simulator at Maranello even more valuable. It offered a chance to get familiar with how the Ferrari handled at each circuit, even if it couldn’t fully replicate real-world conditions.
But according to F1 pundit Ralf Schumacher, Hamilton ‘hardly ever’ uses the simulator, which may help explain why Leclerc appeared more comfortable in comparison.
ESPN has also reported that Hamilton has never really felt at ease using the simulator at Ferrari’s Maranello base. It’s even been described as a part of his role that he genuinely dislikes.
Lewis Hamilton Felt Ferrari’s F1 Engineers Overlooked Him in 2025
Throughout the 2025 season, Hamilton struggled to adapt to Ferrari’s Brembo brake pads after years of using Carbon Industrie at Mercedes. And it was a change he found difficult to get used to with virtual tools.
ESPN has reported that retirement questions will likely come up often this year unless Hamilton, now 41, seems more settled both in and out of the car. He’ll need to build stronger connections within his engineering team too, after feeling largely overlooked by them last year.
On a positive note, early reports suggest that new technical director Loic Serra has responded to driver feedback by making changes to the suspension setup—a move that should provide some reassurance for Hamilton.
The team is expected to reveal their new car on 23 January, followed by an initial shakedown session at Fiorano.
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