Alpine executive adviser Flavio Briatore is convinced that Lewis Hamilton remains one of the sport’s greatest drivers, despite experiencing a challenging debut season with Ferrari. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion achieved a lifelong ambition this year by joining the Scuderia, but he enters the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday still seeking his first podium finish in a Ferrari after 15 of the season’s 24 races.
Lewis Hamilton has also recorded his lowest points total through 15 rounds of any F1 season under the current points system, which was introduced in 2010. The 40-year-old has accumulated just 109 points from 15 Grands Prix and three F1 Sprint events, while his Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc, has already reached 151 points. By comparison, Hamilton’s previous lowest points tally after 15 races came in 2012 during his time with McLaren, when he had 152 points—nine years before the Sprint races were added to the F1 calendar. Of his 109 points this year, 14 have come from Sprint events, including a win in China and a third-place finish in Miami.
Briatore believes Lewis Hamilton likely did not anticipate the extent of the challenges he would face upon joining Ferrari. The driver has submitted documents to the Maranello team requesting adjustments, drawing on his experience with Mercedes from 2013 to 2024, where he won six of his seven world titles and 84 of his 105 Grand Prix victories. Transitioning to Ferrari has proven more complex than expected, as Hamilton has struggled to adapt to the car and team dynamics after nearly two decades driving for British-based teams. The former Renault team boss suggests that the difficulties Hamilton is encountering were probably unforeseen, given his previous level of success and experience.
According to Briatore, it would be premature to fully assess Hamilton’s move to Ferrari until the introduction of F1’s 2026 regulations. He points out that the current ground-effect cars, which were introduced in 2022, are not suited to Hamilton’s preferred braking style, contributing to his adaptation struggles. Briatore explained that Hamilton remains a phenomenal talent, but the performance issues with the car highlight how challenging the current regulations and vehicles have become. He added that only with the new 2026 cars will it be possible to see how Hamilton can fully exploit his skills once again.
Hamilton endured a particularly difficult first half of the 2025 season with Ferrari. The initial rear suspension setup of the SF-25, designed by the Scuderia for the start of the year, proved to be a misstep, forcing the team to raise the car’s ride height, which inevitably compromised performance. However, the ride height was not Hamilton’s only obstacle. He has also struggled with Ferrari’s power steering, which introduces a slight delay in input that affects both steering and braking precision. These issues compounded his difficulties with F1’s ground-effect vehicles, making the adjustment period especially challenging for the seven-time champion.
Looking ahead, Lewis Hamilton’s prospects could improve significantly in 2026. The upcoming chassis and aerodynamic regulations will mark a departure from ground-effect cars and return to the type of car architecture that has historically allowed the Briton to excel. Briatore suggests that these changes could enable Lewis Hamilton to regain his competitive edge and demonstrate his true potential with Ferrari, restoring him to the form that has defined much of his extraordinary Formula 1 career.
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