Ferrari urged to urgently investigate Lewis Hamilton’s medium-tyre struggles in Las Vegas GP
Ferrari has been called upon to thoroughly investigate why Lewis Hamilton experienced such severe performance issues on the medium Pirelli tyres during the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion, who has had a challenging debut season with the Scuderia in 2025, found himself unable to maintain competitive pace during a critical phase of the race.
Bernie Collins, the former Aston Martin head of race strategy, emphasized that Ferrari must act immediately to understand what went wrong for Lewis Hamilton during his medium-tyre stint. Bernie Collins highlighted that the issue became most apparent as the seven-time F1 world champion struggled to overtake Nico Hulkenberg, a driver in a slower car, exposing a clear weakness in the SF-25 under certain conditions.
After qualifying last in Las Vegas — marking the first time in his Formula 1 career that Lewis Hamilton had ended up at the very back on pure pace, without a penalty or technical issue — the 40-year-old eventually lined up P19 following Yuki Tsunoda’s decision to start from the pit lane. Lewis Hamilton initially made encouraging progress in the early laps of the 50-lap race, but once he pitted and switched onto the medium tyres, his pace dropped drastically.
Despite crossing the finish line in tenth place, the Briton was later promoted to eighth after the double disqualification of both McLaren drivers. Still, the performance left him visibly frustrated, highlighting the difficulties he has faced throughout the 2025 season with Ferrari.
According to Bernie Collins, Lewis Hamilton’s early stint on the hard tyres had been strong, and Ferrari’s initial strategy had worked well. Collins noted that the plan to attempt an undercut on Nico Hulkenberg should have been straightforward given the superior pace of the SF-25. Yet, the switch to the medium tyres saw Lewis Hamilton’s performance deteriorate significantly.
Collins explained that during the opening laps on the medium compound, Lewis Hamilton struggled immediately, with Nico Hulkenberg effectively defending his position. This forced Hamilton back into traffic, undermining any chance of making meaningful progress. By the final stint on the medium tyres, Collins observed that Hamilton’s pace had dropped even further, leaving him unable to challenge and contributing to his overall sense of disappointment.
After exiting the SF-25, Lewis Hamilton described the race as part of his “worst season ever,” saying he felt “terrible” about the outcome. Bernie Collins concluded that Ferrari needs to urgently examine what went wrong during the medium-tyre stint. Without understanding the cause, Lewis Hamilton’s frustrations are likely to persist, and similar issues could recur in upcoming races.
“Something clearly went wrong on that medium stint for Lewis and Ferrari,” Collins said. “That’s why he was so defeated. He got out of the car without being able to challenge, struggling in the final laps. Ferrari need to look at this urgently to avoid a repeat.”
