Lewis Hamilton’s attitude following the Barcelona Grand Prix at the 4.657-kilometre Circuit de Catalunya reflected a familiar pattern, with his mood showing signs of growing frustration and volatility. Despite occasional flashes of promise this season with Ferrari, the seven-time world champion has struggled to maintain consistent form. His victory in the Sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix and podium finish at the Miami event offered brief optimism, but Hamilton’s performance in the traditional race format has often fallen short. One standout moment was his impressive climb from 12th to fourth place at Imola, which raised hopes, but sustaining that momentum has proven difficult.
At the Spanish GP, Lewis Hamilton secured a respectable sixth-place finish given his challenging season so far. However, the race ended on a sour note when Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg overtook him in the closing laps. Although the Briton managed to outqualify his teammate Charles Leclerc for only the second time in 2025, he struggled with race pace on Sunday and was ordered by Ferrari to let Leclerc pass early in the stint. Additionally, he was undercut by George Russell, further complicating his race. After the race, the Briton expressed his dissatisfaction over team radio, indicating that there was a serious issue with the car and describing it as the worst it had ever been.
In post-race interviews, Lewis Hamilton implied that Ferrari’s post-event analysis might not uncover any mechanical problems, and he accepted that he might bear some responsibility for the result. However, as noted by motorsport journalist Josh Suttill from The Race, Lewis Hamilton’s radio comments fit into a recurring pattern where the driver suggests there may be undiagnosed car issues during his lowest points. This tendency was also visible last year during his time at Mercedes, where after losing qualifying battles to teammate George Russell, Hamilton claimed that the car was losing performance for unexplained reasons. That qualifying rivalry ended 19-5 in George Russell’s favor.
Lewis Hamilton continued this trend at the Japanese Grand Prix when he said he was losing about a tenth of a second per lap to Charles Leclerc due to a “underperforming” component, though the specific issue was never clarified. When a driver’s complaints don’t align with the engineers’ telemetry and data, it can lead to tension among the mechanics who prepare and optimize the car. If Lewis Hamilton’s concerns turn out to be without foundation, it is understandable that the team’s technical staff might feel frustrated or upset by his remarks.
Josh Suttill highlighted that the British driver hinting at car problems during challenging races is not unusual. He recalled that during Lewis Hamilton’s toughest moments at Mercedes, there were similar claims about car deficiencies when compared to teammate George Russell. Earlier in 2025, at Suzuka, Lewis Hamilton made assertions about an unspecified disadvantage in his car compared to Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari. His complaint during the cool-down lap in Barcelona that “something is wrong with the car” continues this established narrative.
Adding to the concerns, former Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz recently commented on the seven-time Formula 1 world champion’s struggles, attributing them largely to the adaptation process that comes with joining a new team. The Spaniard pointed out that while adaptation is challenging, most drivers—including himself—have managed to adjust by this stage of the season. Given Lewis Hamilton’s extensive experience and championship pedigree, it would be expected that he too would have overcome these early difficulties by now.
Within Ferrari, there is growing pessimism about the team’s 2025 performance. Lewis Hamilton has reportedly advocated privately for the squad to prioritize development and resources toward the 2026 regulation changes rather than expecting major progress this year. Ferrari has already tempered expectations regarding their upcoming rear suspension upgrade. Initially intended to resolve issues with ride height and enable the car to run closer to the ground to generate additional “free” downforce, the Maranello team now suggests that the upgrade may not deliver a significant improvement in lap times.
This evolving situation leaves Lewis Hamilton’s 2025 season uncertain, with ongoing challenges on and off the track, as well as potential internal tensions arising from his candid comments about the car’s performance.
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