Lewis Hamilton has experienced a highly underwhelming debut season with Ferrari, and head of track engineering Matteo Togninalli acknowledges that frustration is highly noticeable within Maranello. However, Togninalli disagrees with several claims made outside the team regarding the difficulties Hamilton has faced since joining Ferrari from Mercedes at the start of 2025. The 40-year-old seven-time world champion has endured a relentless series of challenges in red so far this year.
Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari had initially been a lifelong dream, and the British driver was elated to finally secure a seat at Maranello. Yet, 11 months later, the situation has proven far more difficult than anticipated. Hamilton has openly described his time at Ferrari as a “nightmare,” struggling to adapt both to the team’s methods and the characteristics of the SF-25. His 2025 campaign is shaping up to be his most difficult season statistically, with the seven-time champion on course to record his lowest points total under the current scoring system, amassing only 152 points so far.
Togninalli emphasises that despite the challenging season, Hamilton’s relationship with Ferrari remains highly positive. The driver has yet to achieve a Grand Prix podium for the Scuderia, let alone secure a race win, a first in his 19-year career where he had previously reached the podium in every season. Furthermore, Hamilton cannot rise higher than P6 in the current drivers’ standings, with teammate Charles Leclerc holding firm in fifth.
While Togninalli admits that there is widespread frustration within Maranello due to Ferrari’s inability to contend for the championship in 2025, he firmly rejects any suggestion that Hamilton’s relationship with the team is strained. After a year of adjustment, he asserts that the bond between driver and team is strong and positive, and that external perceptions of Hamilton’s situation are significantly worse than the reality.
Lewis Hamilton’s move from Mercedes to Ferrari marked a major shift in his career. Having spent 12 years at Mercedes following an initial six-year stint at McLaren, joining a non-British outfit for the first time required him to adapt to new approaches, team culture, and operational methods. Adjusting to Ferrari’s processes has proven challenging, particularly compared to the highly structured environment he experienced at Mercedes. Hamilton has actively contributed feedback to the team, providing detailed recommendations and requested changes aimed at returning the Scuderia to competitiveness.
The 2025 season has offered very few highlights for the 105-time Grand Prix winner. The most notable moments came when he won the F1 Sprint in China in March and later secured third place in the Miami Sprint in May. Otherwise, results have been sparse, leaving Hamilton with only one finish higher than P6 in the last ten Grands Prix — a P4 in the United States. This run of underperformance has significantly impacted his confidence, reinforcing his own assessment that 2025 has been the most challenging year of his career.
Despite the setbacks, Matteo Togninalli maintains that Lewis Hamilton’s commitment and collaboration with Ferrari remain strong. The team is focused on learning from the difficulties of 2025 while planning for improvements in 2026, aiming to restore both the performance of the car and the morale of one of Formula 1’s most accomplished drivers.
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