Lewis Hamilton has entered a crucial period in his debut season with Scuderia Ferrari, as the Maranello-based team intensifies efforts to improve his performance and results in the second half of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Despite being a seven-time world champion, Hamilton has yet to step onto the podium in a Grand Prix since joining Ferrari from Mercedes, with his only top-three finishes so far coming in Sprint races. The British driver is still adjusting to life within Ferrari’s distinctive racing environment, and his demeanor during media appearances has frequently been described as subdued, possibly reflecting his frustration with the current performance of the SF-25.
Although Ferrari currently holds second place in the constructors’ standings, this position arguably flatters the true competitiveness of the SF-25. The car has a notoriously narrow operating window, and both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have faced challenges when attempting to extract consistent performance, particularly in finding the ideal balance.
Former Formula 1 driver and commentator Jolyon Palmer has described Hamilton’s race pace this season as underwhelming. The statistics underline this point: Charles Leclerc leads the intra-team battle with a 9–2 advantage over Hamilton in full-length Grands Prix so far in 2025. Hamilton has managed to outperform Leclerc only at Imola and Silverstone, suggesting that the adaptation to the new team and machinery is still a work in progress.
Determined to turn things around, Hamilton has been actively trying to influence the direction of Ferrari’s technical approach. Drawing on his extensive experience, he has sought to introduce his own working methods within the team and has been vocal about the need for rapid and meaningful upgrades to the SF-25. However, one significant issue that continues to trouble the British driver may remain unresolved for the foreseeable future.
Hamilton continues to struggle with Ferrari’s 2025 power steering system — a component he reportedly dislikes intensely. The issue is particularly pronounced in high-speed corners, where the feedback from the steering is far from ideal. According to reports, both Hamilton and Leclerc only receive meaningful steering feedback when pushing the car to its absolute limits, a situation that increases mechanical stress and reduces overall driveability.
Although Hamilton is reportedly eager to see this problem addressed, Formula 1 analyst Mattia Bobbi has suggested that Ferrari will be unable to revise the current power steering setup in the short term. The system, according to Bobbi, is inherently “difficult to adjust,” and any changes would likely require a fundamental redesign — something not feasible mid-season. Hamilton has reportedly been dissatisfied with the power steering system since pre-season testing in Bahrain, where he quickly flagged the issue to the team after just a few laps.
Insiders have revealed that the Ferrari driver was noticeably unhappy with the feel of the car’s steering early on, and the issue has persisted throughout the campaign, continuing to hinder his ability to fully exploit the car’s potential.
While Ferrari are reportedly working to fix the power steering problem ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, the more immediate focus will be on a different upgrade scheduled to debut at the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps. This development, a substantial rear suspension update, has been in the works for much of the season and is considered a potentially pivotal improvement to the SF-25’s performance profile.
Simulations carried out by the team have indicated that the new rear suspension could deliver a lap-time gain of approximately one-tenth of a second — a meaningful advantage in the context of today’s tightly packed midfield battle. Such an improvement could allow Ferrari to close the gap to McLaren, one of the leading teams in recent rounds.
However, there is still some uncertainty surrounding the upgrade’s effectiveness. During private testing, Charles Leclerc reportedly did not experience a clear benefit from the revised suspension setup. Ferrari insiders have conveyed a sense of “cautious optimism,” suggesting that while the data shows promise, the real-world impact may not yet be fully realised — at least from Leclerc’s perspective.
Technical observers have also weighed in. Former F1 designer Gary Anderson has voiced skepticism, noting that the upgrade does not yet appear to be delivering the performance gains he anticipated. In addition, concerns remain about Ferrari’s energy deployment strategy, particularly in the high-pressure environment of Q3 qualifying. According to sources, the new suspension is unlikely to resolve ongoing issues related to energy management, which could continue to compromise the team’s one-lap pace.
As Hamilton prepares for the next round of the championship at Spa, he will be hoping that the new upgrades — particularly the rear suspension — provide the boost he needs to return to the front of the grid. However, unless Ferrari finds a way to resolve the deeper mechanical limitations of the SF-25, including the persistent power steering problem, the road to podium finishes may remain challenging for the Maranello team’s newest star driver.
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