Lewis Hamilton units undesirable Method 1 milestone after heartbreaking first season in Maranello
Lewis Hamilton faces his hardest Method 1 season as Ferrari’s 2025 gamble collapses
Lewis Hamilton’s debut marketing campaign with Ferrari has was probably the most difficult seasons of his illustrious Method 1 profession. Regardless of the anticipation and pleasure that surrounded his transfer from Mercedes, the seven-time world champion has spent a lot of the 2025 F1 season looking for options to his ongoing efficiency struggles. What was anticipated to be a brand new chapter crammed with podiums and victories has as a substitute turn out to be a irritating pursuit of solutions for each Hamilton and Ferrari.
Ferrari’s daring resolution to overtake the SF-25 idea over the winter has didn’t ship the anticipated step ahead. The Italian crew, which narrowly missed out on the 2024 Constructors’ Championship by simply 14 factors, has been pressured to face the tough actuality that its bold aerodynamic and mechanical revisions merely didn’t work. The SF-25 has confirmed unpredictable and inconsistent throughout a spread of circuits, leaving each Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc struggling to extract its full potential.
With no race victories thus far in 2025 and solely a handful of sturdy performances, Ferrari’s marketing campaign has fallen far wanting expectations. Lewis Hamilton’s frustration has been evident all year long, with the British driver incessantly discovering himself battling within the midfield relatively than on the entrance of the pack. The shortage of progress has elevated the stress on Ferrari’s technical division, which is now underneath intense scrutiny because the crew turns its consideration to the upcoming 2026 F1 laws.
Ferrari’s struggles proceed as Lewis Hamilton searches for solutions
The partnership between Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari was anticipated to convey rapid outcomes, combining Hamilton’s expertise and racecraft with the Scuderia’s historic pedigree. As a substitute, the union has been affected by inconsistency and mechanical points. At the United States Grand Prix in Austin, the previous Mercedes man managed to struggle his approach into podium rivalry after producing what former teammate Jenson Button described as an “unimaginable restoration drive.” Nonetheless, the optimism surrounding that efficiency rapidly pale when the British driver mysteriously misplaced 5 seconds on the ultimate lap — a problem Ferrari’s engineers have been unable to clarify even after reviewing telemetry information.
The issue left each the crew and Lewis Hamilton puzzled. Ferrari confirmed there was no puncture or seen injury to the automobile, however the unexplained drop in efficiency raised contemporary considerations about reliability and tire degradation. For the Briton, who has at all times prided himself on consistency and precision, such incidents have solely deepened the sense of frustration.
Lewis Hamilton breaks one in every of Method 1’s unluckiest data
Whereas the 2025 season has been stuffed with challenges, it has additionally seen Lewis Hamilton obtain an unlucky milestone. The British driver now holds the report for the most championship factors in a Method 1 season with out a podium end. With 142 factors amassed thus far, Hamilton surpassed the earlier report of 118 factors set by former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa in 2011. It’s a statistic that underlines simply how constantly he has carried out regardless of the shortage of top-three finishes, but additionally how far Ferrari has fallen behind the frontrunners like Crimson Bull and McLaren.
Lewis Hamilton’s physique language and tone over crew radio recommend rising disappointment, although his professionalism has remained intact. He has typically emphasised teamwork and endurance, echoing sentiments just like these of Charles Leclerc, who has managed six podiums this season however has additionally struggled to problem for race victories. The duo’s frustration displays a shared consciousness that Ferrari’s SF-25 merely can’t compete with the dominant RB21 or the ever-improving McLaren MCL39 in its present type.
The one silver lining for Ferrari thus far has been the Briton’s triumph within the Chinese language Dash Race, which stays the crew’s sole victory in any session this 12 months. That success briefly lifted spirits throughout the camp, however the momentum rapidly pale because the automobile’s weaknesses resurfaced at subsequent circuits. For Lewis Hamilton, a driver accustomed to contending for championships, ending fifth or sixth has turn out to be the brand new norm — a harsh distinction to his years of dominance.
David Croft’s verdict: Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari season a significant disappointment
Method 1 commentator David Croft has described Hamilton’s 2025 marketing campaign as one of many largest disappointments of the 12 months. For the primary time in his 19-season profession, the British driver faces the prospect of finishing a whole championship with out reaching the rostrum. This final result would mark a dramatic low level for a person who has spent over a decade setting data and redefining success in trendy Method 1. Many within the paddock now query whether or not remaining at Mercedes may need yielded a extra aggressive season, despite the fact that Lewis Hamilton’s long-term transfer to Ferrari was seen as a daring assertion of ambition.
Regardless of the adversity, Lewis Hamilton continues to indicate glimpses of brilliance. His performances in qualifying stay spectacular, and his racecraft — significantly in wheel-to-wheel fight — has typically helped him salvage invaluable factors. Nonetheless, Ferrari’s lack of tempo on sure circuits and questionable technique calls have made it unimaginable for him to actually showcase his expertise on the stage followers anticipate.
Ferrari’s focus shifts towards 2026 Method 1 laws
With the 2025 season successfully written off, Ferrari has redirected most of its technical assets towards the 2026 automobile challenge. The crew is aware of it can’t afford one other 12 months of underachievement, particularly with new energy unit laws and aerodynamic guidelines set to reshape the aggressive panorama. Stories recommend that growth on the next-generation Ferrari chassis started months in the past, with a deal with lowering drag, enhancing downforce effectivity, and making a extra balanced dealing with platform that fits each Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s driving kinds.
Whereas the Briton does have an possibility to increase his Ferrari contract for an additional 12 months, insiders point out that each events could rethink if efficiency doesn’t enhance considerably. For Ferrari, retaining a driver of Hamilton’s caliber is essential — not just for his technical suggestions but additionally for the expertise he brings from years of working on the highest stage of competitors. His enter might show important because the crew goals to create a title-contending automobile underneath the brand new laws.
May Ferrari be a shock contender in 2026?
There may be cautious optimism throughout the Maranello camp that the laborious classes discovered from the SF-25’s shortcomings will assist Ferrari bounce again stronger. Whereas Crimson Bull and McLaren have been locked in an intense title struggle this season, Ferrari’s early shift in focus to 2026 may give them a bonus subsequent 12 months. The Italian outfit has invested closely in simulation instruments, aerodynamic testing, and wind tunnel upgrades — all a part of a broader effort to return to championship rivalry.
Lewis Hamilton’s presence throughout the crew is seen as an asset on this course of. His huge expertise in creating championship-winning vehicles at Mercedes offers Ferrari invaluable perception into methods to optimize efficiency underneath a price cap setting. Many throughout the crew consider that his suggestions might assist refine their subsequent automobile’s design philosophy, making certain that Ferrari begins the brand new regulatory period on a stronger footing.
Conclusion
Because the 2025 Method 1 season nears its conclusion, Lewis Hamilton finds himself dealing with probably the most testing durations of his profession. The partnership between the British legend and Ferrari has but to ship the outcomes followers hoped for, however each side stay dedicated to turning the scenario round. Whereas this season could also be remembered for missed alternatives and unlucky data, the groundwork being laid for 2026 might lastly provide the Briton and the Maranello crew the breakthrough they’ve been chasing.
Whether or not the upcoming regulation modifications will convey redemption or additional frustration stays to be seen, however one factor is for certain — Lewis Hamilton’s dedication to succeed with Ferrari has not diminished. For the Scuderia, the approaching months symbolize a vital turning level of their quest to return to the highest of Method 1.
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