Lewis Hamilton continues to face a challenging adaptation process with his Ferrari Formula 1 car, and former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer has analysed what might be holding the seven-time world champion back — particularly in comparison to Max Verstappen’s approach. After leaving Mercedes at the end of a difficult final season, where he was outperformed by teammate George Russell, Lewis Hamilton’s transition to Ferrari has not been straightforward. The 40-year-old has struggled to consistently match the pace of Charles Leclerc, who has been the stronger driver within the Maranello team throughout the 2025 campaign.
Charles Leclerc’s greater familiarity with Ferrari machinery has given him an edge across almost every performance metric. Yet, those same benchmarks provide Lewis Hamilton with valuable insight into where he can improve — from refining car setups to identifying weak spots at specific corners of a circuit. The former F1 driver suggested that these areas could be key to helping the seven-time world champion close the gap to his teammate and regain competitiveness.
According to Jolyon Palmer, the main difference between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen lies in how they prepare for and analyse race weekends. Speaking on the F1 Explains podcast, Palmer discussed how drivers and engineers typically work together between races to evaluate data and build upon the lessons learned. He explained that while every driver-engineer partnership functions differently, the intensity and frequency of post-race analysis can vary greatly from one driver to another.
Palmer noted that some drivers prefer a lighter approach to post-race meetings and debriefs, often choosing to reconnect with their teams remotely after a Grand Prix. He observed that a driver like the Dutchman, for instance, does not need to spend time studying teammate data because he already operates at a level that leaves little to learn from others. Palmer said Verstappen’s pace and consistency allow him to skip that kind of comparative analysis entirely, as he is already setting the standard within Red Bull.
In contrast, Palmer argued that Hamilton’s situation is very different. The British driver, having joined Ferrari after more than a decade at Mercedes, is still adjusting to a completely new environment, working methods, and car philosophy. Palmer suggested that Hamilton is likely investing much more effort between races, analysing data and working closely with engineers to accelerate his adaptation process. He described Lewis Hamilton as being more “dialled in” during the periods between race weekends, focusing on closing the performance gap and ensuring he can extract more from the car each time he returns to the track.
Another factor contributing to Hamilton’s difficulties during his debut season with Ferrari is his partnership with race engineer Riccardo Adami. Their working relationship has not yet reached the level of mutual understanding Hamilton once enjoyed with his long-time Mercedes engineer, Peter Bonnington. Throughout the 2025 season, communication between Hamilton and Adami has occasionally appeared strained, leading observers to believe that their chemistry is still developing.
This dynamic has drawn comparisons to past Ferrari challenges, particularly during Sebastian Vettel’s tenure, when moments of tension with Adami became public. As Hamilton continues to adapt to the Scuderia’s internal communication style, those historical examples have resurfaced, fuelling speculation about whether Ferrari’s driver-engineer relationships remain a weak point.
Despite these struggles, there is growing optimism surrounding Lewis Hamilton’s future with the team. Former Ferrari test driver Esteban Gutierrez has expressed confidence that the seven-time world champion will make significant progress in his second season with Ferrari. He believes that with more time to build rapport with his engineers and a deeper understanding of the SF-25’s characteristics, Hamilton can return to competing for podiums and race victories in 2026.
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