Lewis Hamilton breaks down why Charles Leclerc had the upper hand at Sakhir circuit. Lewis Hamilton reveals the reasons behind his early struggles with Ferrari in the 2025 F1 season.

Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has opened up about his early-season difficulties with the Maranello team and believes these struggles hold the key to understanding why Charles Leclerc had the upper hand during the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion admitted that adapting to his new environment has taken time but insists he’s now ready to make adjustments to close the gap to his teammate.

The 40-year-old crossed the finish line in fifth place at the Bahrain International Circuit, trailing Charles Leclerc by eight seconds. With that result, the Monegasque driver extended his head-to-head advantage over Lewis Hamilton to 4-0 in Grand Prix races so far this year.

Despite what appeared to be another underwhelming outing for the former Mercedes star, there were plenty of positives to take away. Hamilton delivered a spirited drive, executing several bold overtakes on top competitors such as Max Verstappen and Lando Norris.

His pace on race day showed clear improvement, and for the first time since his Sprint Race victory in China, Lewis Hamilton looked genuinely competitive within the top six. That strong showing has given him confidence and a clearer picture of what has held him back.

Reflecting on his performance in Bahrain, Lewis Hamilton now believes he understands what has allowed his Maranello teammate to outperform him in the opening rounds. Armed with that insight, the British driver says he plans to refine his approach in the coming races in a bid to match—and eventually surpass—his teammate’s form.

Lewis Hamilton reflected on how difficult it can be for drivers to break old habits, especially after spending so many years with the same team. He explained that his long-standing driving style, developed over more than a decade with Mercedes, didn’t immediately suit the characteristics of his new Ferrari car.

The Briton pointed out that the transition had been challenging because the Ferrari required a completely different approach—not only in terms of driving technique but also in car settings. For example, he noted that he kept relying on engine braking, something he had rarely used in previous seasons. The seven-time F1 world champion also mentioned the significant difference in brake systems, having used Carbon Industries (CIs) for around 15 years, whereas the current setup—Brembo brakes—demanded an entirely different feel and adaptation.

He acknowledged that he’s still adjusting but felt he was gradually starting to understand what the car needs, both in terms of balance and driving input.

Lewis Hamilton has admitted that carrying over his familiar Mercedes habits into his debut season with Ferrari hasn’t delivered the desired results so far in the 2025 Formula 1 campaign. The seven-time world champion, who boasts 105 Grand Prix victories, is now re-evaluating his approach after a challenging start with the Scuderia.

Following the Bahrain Grand Prix, the 40-year-old revealed that he plans to adopt a more stable and consistent set-up strategy, mirroring the approach used by his team-mate Charles Leclerc. Unlike Lewis Hamilton, who is well-known for experimenting with various car settings throughout a race weekend, Charles Leclerc tends to settle on a working baseline early on and refines it gradually. Lewis Hamilton now believes that adopting a similar method could provide him with a more solid foundation to build from.

The British driver acknowledged that trying too many changes has sometimes left him disconnected from the ideal performance window, especially when comparing data with Charles Leclerc. He pointed out that while his team-mate typically sticks with one set-up throughout the weekend, his own adjustments had often taken him too far off course, particularly in recent races.

He admitted that while he managed to close the gap to Charles Leclerc just before qualifying in Bahrain, their configurations were still significantly different, which impacted his final performance. Lewis Hamilton stressed the importance of improving his approach during race weekends and expressed confidence that he is capable of doing so. He made it clear that he is determined to refine his consistency and alignment with the car’s demands moving forward.