Former Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto has openly acknowledged that the Maranello team’s performance since Lewis Hamilton joined as Charles Leclerc’s teammate for the 2025 Formula 1 campaign has been “very clearly” disappointing. The results on track have not met expectations, reflecting challenges the team continues to face this year.
The Italian manager, who served as Ferrari’s team principal from 2019 to 2022, understands the immense pressure of leading the iconic Italian team. During his tenure, he steered Ferrari to second place in the constructors’ championship in both 2019 and 2022, although his time at the helm yielded only seven Grand Prix victories before he stepped down. He now heads Audi’s F1 project at Sauber, bringing a wealth of experience from his time managing Ferrari.
After Mattia Binotto’s departure, Ferrari appointed Fred Vasseur as team principal, who played an instrumental role in securing Lewis Hamilton’s high-profile move to Ferrari on a two-year contract starting in 2025, reportedly worth £39 million annually. Despite the fanfare, Lewis Hamilton’s impact on Ferrari’s 2025 campaign has yet to justify the significant investment.
The seven-time Formula 1 World Champion has failed to secure a podium finish in any of the first nine rounds of the season. His strongest performances have come in Sprint races, including a victory in the Shanghai Sprint and a third-place finish in the Miami Sprint, aided by a strategic early pit stop for slick tyres.
Meanwhile, it has been Charles Leclerc who has consistently delivered results for Ferrari this season. The Monegasque driver has achieved all three of the team’s podium finishes so far: second place in the Monaco Grand Prix and third-place finishes in Saudi Arabia and Spain. Charles Leclerc’s strong showing in Spain even helped elevate Ferrari to second place in the constructors’ standings.
Hamilton’s struggles with the SF-25’s unpredictable rear-end handling have led him to privately encourage Ferrari to shift their development focus toward the 2026 Formula 1 regulations. However, Mattia Binotto suggests that Hamilton’s difficulties may also stem from his age, noting that the driver turned 40 earlier this year.
In a recent interview for the Italian media, the former Ferrari team boss expressed his perspective: the Briton was “already at the end of his career” when Ferrari signed him. Mattia Binotto believes that the ideal scenario would have been for Ferrari to bring Lewis Hamilton in a few years earlier to maximize his peak performance.
This viewpoint contrasts sharply with that of Piero Ferrari, son of the legendary Enzo Ferrari and vice chairman of the team. Before the season began, Piero Ferrari stated that he had absolutely no concerns about Hamilton’s age affecting his performance at Ferrari.
Despite the confidence from Piero Ferrari, Hamilton’s current position in the 2025 drivers’ championship highlights the challenges he faces. He sits sixth with 71 points, and his best race finish so far has been fourth place at Imola. Comparatively, his former Mercedes teammate George Russell leads with 111 points and has secured four podiums this season, outpacing Lewis Hamilton since his switch to Ferrari.
In the constructors’ championship, Ferrari holds only a narrow six-point lead over Mercedes. George Russell’s strong performances alongside Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli have kept the Silver Arrows competitive, further emphasizing the gap Ferrari is trying to close.
Mattia Binotto has admitted that Ferrari’s results this season are “not good” when viewed objectively. However, he cautions against harsh judgments from outsiders, stressing his confidence in the team’s abilities.
He emphasized that despite the current difficulties, he knows every member of the Ferrari team personally and believes they possess the talent, strength, and determination to improve the car’s performance. Binotto remains optimistic that Ferrari can still find success and achieve satisfying results before the season concludes.
