Lewis Hamilton at a Turning Point with Ferrari After Struggles Continue in Spain
Lewis Hamilton appeared visibly disheartened after the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya, a venue that has historically been one of his most successful. Over the years, the seven-time world champion has claimed victory in Barcelona six times — a record only equaled by Michael Schumacher. However, this year’s event told a very different story for the Briton in Ferrari colors.
Heading into Sunday’s race, Hamilton managed to outqualify teammate Charles Leclerc for just the second time this season. However, Leclerc had strategically chosen to forgo his final qualifying run to prioritize race pace, a decision that ultimately paid off. The Monegasque driver secured a spot on the podium, capitalizing on Max Verstappen’s compromised three-stop strategy that was disrupted by a late safety car.
In contrast, Hamilton was already showing signs of struggle. He had let Leclerc pass earlier in the race and was fading down the order by the closing stages. Eventually, Nico Hülkenberg also overtook him, and Hamilton crossed the line in sixth place, clearly dispirited during his post-race media engagements.
F1 pundit Karun Chandhok, speaking on The F1 Show, offered a sobering analysis of Hamilton’s performance in what is now his ninth Grand Prix with Ferrari. Chandhok suggested that the team may be reaching a pivotal point with the British driver, as concerns begin to mount within his engineering camp.
Chandhok emphasized that the situation is becoming increasingly critical as the season approaches its midpoint. He observed that Hamilton has yet to establish a consistent rhythm or confidence with the SF-25, noting that his performances have fluctuated too much between race weekends. He referenced Hamilton’s struggles in qualifying at Imola, where the Briton was off the pace before surprisingly finding speed in the race itself. A similar pattern occurred in Monaco, where Hamilton remained noticeably behind Leclerc throughout the weekend.
According to Chandhok, the ease with which Charles Leclerc overtook and pulled away from Hamilton in Spain—regardless of tyre strategies—should raise alarm bells within Hamilton’s side of the garage. He believes the Ferrari engineers must now evaluate whether a more fundamental issue with car setup or driving style adaptation is at play.
While the former F1 driver was was quick to affirm that Hamilton’s talent is still intact, citing his Sprint victory in China as proof that he remains capable of winning, he stressed that the current setup is not allowing Hamilton to perform consistently. The fluctuations between strong and weak performances are too severe, and a more stable foundation needs to be established if Hamilton is to regain his edge.
Lewis Hamilton’s adaptation to Ferrari in 2025 has been far from seamless. To better align with the SF-25, he has undertaken a number of difficult changes — including altering his driving style in ways he described as “very uncomfortable.” He is also adjusting to a new power unit, braking system, and several other procedural shifts that differ from what he was accustomed to at Mercedes.
Another major adjustment for Hamilton this season is working with Riccardo Adami, his new race engineer. After forming a long and successful partnership with Peter Bonnington, adapting to a different communication style and race-day dynamic has proven challenging.
Given the slow start to his Ferrari tenure, some within the paddock suggest that 2025 may need to be treated as a transition year for Hamilton — a period of acclimatization before the sweeping regulation changes set to arrive in 2026. That rule overhaul could provide Lewis Hamilton with the clearest opportunity to mount a final title challenge and chase the elusive eighth world championship that would further cement his legacy in the sport.
For now, however, Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton face urgent questions that must be addressed if their highly anticipated partnership is to yield the success both sides envisioned.
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