“Ferrari follows its own rules”: warning over Lewis Hamilton’s tough SF-25 adaptation. Lewis Hamilton struggles with Ferrari’s SF-25 as Sebastian Vettel warns.

The SF-25 is difficult, Ferrari is different: adapting to it remains a complex matter for Lewis Hamilton, six races into his new F1 adventure. The Briton hasn’t found the sparkle he showed in Shanghai, while Maranello is struggling even to make it into Q3. A small revolution is on the way, now more necessary than ever. In the meantime, giving up is not allowed: full support comes from his former rival and friend, Sebastian Vettel.

From the dream of the world championship to the nightmare of Miami: the celebration in Milan’s square before the season started now feels like a distant memory. That Ferrari, so hopeful of fighting for both titles, no longer exists. Or perhaps it still does, “held back” by the rear suspension, but still far from the track. In Maranello, they’re working hard to get back to winning, awaiting a potential “reset” in Barcelona.

Those suffering the most from Ferrari’s latest disappointment—aside from the fans—are certainly Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. The Monegasque, who always swears eternal love for the Prancing Horse, risks being overtaken even by the newest generation of drivers. The Briton, the newcomer but already a seven-time world champion, had hoped to recover from his very recent Mercedes disappointments.

A team unlike any other: Lewis Hamilton and the Ferrari environment
Anyone saying that Lewis regrets his decision is talking nonsense. It’s clear that the performance of the SF-25, a car that’s hard to drive and poorly suited to the native of Stevenage’s style, is not fully satisfying him. But the union with Ferrari was born from his love for the Prancing Horse, and that will remain intact for a long time. Yet loving the Scuderia means coming to terms with an environment very different from the rest of the grid.

That’s according to Sebastian Vettel who, in an interview with Krone Zeitung, commented on the seven-time world champion’s situation: “I don’t know everyone that well anymore, at the moment I don’t have a complete picture of what’s happening [at Ferrari]. But of course, it’s a big change [for Lewis Hamilton]. Ferrari really reasons with its own rules; the culture inside the team is very different.”

“I have no doubt that they’re doing everything possible to make the transition easier for him and to help him succeed as much as possible. And if there’s anyone who should be able to do it, it’s Lewis. In any case, we mustn’t doubt his skills or his talent.”