Lewis Hamilton is facing an increasingly difficult first season as a Ferrari driver, as the 2025 Formula 1 campaign continues to deliver disappointments rather than successes. The seven-time F1 world champion has found the transition to Maranello more challenging than expected, with Ferrari unable to provide the competitive package that matches Hamilton’s legendary talent.
Ferrari welcomed Lewis Hamilton to the team at the start of the 2025 season, taking over from Carlos Sainz in what was initially projected to be a title-contending duo alongside Charles Leclerc. Expectations in Maranello were high, with hopes of challenging Red Bull and Mercedes for both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships. However, a sequence of setbacks has quickly dashed Ferrari’s early-season optimism, leaving Hamilton grappling with one of the most frustrating periods of his illustrious career.
Instead of fighting at the front of the grid, Ferrari are now primarily focused on securing second place in the constructors’ standings. Heading into the final two rounds of the season, the team faces a 53-point deficit to Mercedes and a 13-point gap to Red Bull. In the drivers’ championship, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton are unable to finish higher than fifth and sixth, respectively, highlighting the team’s struggles to convert pace into results.
After the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton described the 2025 season as the “worst season ever,” echoing earlier admissions following the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, where he had likened his experience at Ferrari to living through a “nightmare.” These candid comments underline the frustration the British driver feels as he navigates his first year with the Scuderia, far from the championship-winning form he exhibited at Mercedes.
Ferrari staff remain hesitant to admit Lewis Hamilton signing was a mistake
Despite the mounting evidence of a challenging season, Ferrari’s internal staff reportedly remain reluctant to acknowledge that recruiting Lewis Hamilton might have been a miscalculation. Sources indicate that Lewis Hamilton himself is equally determined not to abandon the team or Formula 1 prematurely, even amid his disappointing results.
The 2025 campaign is on track to become Lewis Hamilton’s lowest-scoring season since Formula 1 adopted the current points system in 2010. Over 22 races, Hamilton has accumulated only 152 points, 21 of which came from the first five of this year’s six F1 Sprint events, including a final points finish in Qatar. Notably, he has yet to secure a podium in a full Grand Prix with Ferrari, a striking contrast to his previous seasons where podiums were a near-constant feature of his career.
As the record-holder for 105 Grand Prix victories and 104 pole positions, Lewis Hamilton faces a new challenge in proving his enduring competitiveness. Sources report that despite his self-professed “worst season” in nearly two decades of racing, the Briton has no intention of stepping away from Ferrari or the sport quietly, determined to restore his legacy before considering any future beyond F1.
Lewis Hamilton endures longest podium drought in 2025
Hamilton’s first year with Ferrari has seen him go through his longest podium drought to date, spanning 24 races without a rostrum finish. His last podium came with a second-place result at the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix, shortly before leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari.
Early flashes of promise included a Sprint victory in China during round two of the 2025 season and a third-place finish in the Miami Sprint, offering hope that Lewis Hamilton could adapt quickly to the Ferrari car. However, his best Grand Prix results have been limited to fourth-place finishes in Imola (round 7), Austria (round 11), Britain (round 12), and the United States (round 19). Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc has managed to secure seven podiums, highlighting the performance gap within the team.
In addition to these setbacks, Lewis Hamilton experienced a career-first in Las Vegas, qualifying last on the grid before eventually finishing eighth, aided by a double disqualification of the McLaren drivers. Despite the frustration, the Briton has publicly rejected any speculation about leaving Formula 1, reaffirming his commitment to Ferrari even as he endures what he considers the most difficult season of his 19-year career.
As the 2025 season approaches its conclusion, Lewis Hamilton hopes he can convert his talent into results at Ferrari and end his first year with the Scuderia on a more positive note.
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