Lewis Hamilton’s first season as a Ferrari Formula 1 driver continues to fall short of expectations, with the Miami Grand Prix serving as yet another blow to both the seven-time world champion and the Scuderia’s 2025 campaign.
Ferrari struggled throughout the weekend in Florida, fielding what appeared to be the fifth-fastest car on the grid. The race was marked by internal squabbling between their two drivers and a lack of outright pace, ultimately resulting in a lackluster performance. Hamilton barely defended eighth place on the final lap and crossed the line far from the front-runners—a far cry from where he hoped to be when he signed for the Maranello-based team.
With the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix up next, Ferrari’s home race could represent a critical turning point. The team is preparing to introduce a fresh package of updates to the SF-25, and there is growing pressure for these changes to deliver results. Otherwise, the team may be forced to abandon any remaining hope of challenging for the 2025 world championship.
In Miami, Lewis Hamilton was left stunned by the extent of his tyre degradation, which severely compromised his performance and led to an underwhelming result. His radio messages reflected mounting frustration, as he struggled to manage the car over the course of the race. The weekend ended with widespread criticism from fans, many of whom directed their disappointment at both Ferrari’s strategy and Hamilton’s ongoing struggles.
Lewis Hamilton Could Rethink Ferrari Optimism After Miami Disappointment
Earlier in the season, Ferrari rolled out a significant floor upgrade at the Bahrain Grand Prix. At the time, Lewis Hamilton was enthusiastic about the development, praising the team’s efforts and expressing gratitude for the work done at the Maranello factory. The changes were expected to unlock the potential of the SF-25 and bring Ferrari closer to the front.
However, since the introduction of those updates, Ferrari has seen no consistent performance gains. Despite the Briton’s initial confidence, the team has failed to break into the top four in the last six races. This ongoing lack of progress may now be causing the British driver to reconsider his earlier optimism.
Back in Bahrain, Lewis Hamilton had commended the team for the technical push, emphasizing the effort behind the new floor and acknowledging the long hours spent in the wind tunnel and in manufacturing. But as the season progresses and the results remain stagnant, the sentiment around Maranello is shifting.
The Stakes Are High for Ferrari’s Next Major Upgrade
With a quarter of the 2025 season now complete, Ferrari’s next round of updates—due at Imola—could prove decisive. The team must show meaningful performance gains if they are to stay in the championship conversation.
The Bahrain upgrade drew heavily from Mercedes’ aerodynamic philosophy, and it’s now being questioned whether that inspiration might have contributed to Ferrari’s ongoing challenges. At Imola, expectations are higher. As Ferrari’s first home race and a crucial point in the European leg of the championship, this event has been circled on the calendar for months as a key milestone for car development.
Should the Imola upgrade package fail to close the gap to rivals like McLaren and Red Bull, Ferrari may be left with little choice but to begin focusing on the 2026 technical regulations. Continuing to invest resources into a car that shows no title-winning potential could become a costly distraction from long-term progress.
As things stand, the Miami Grand Prix may have marked the moment when both Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari began to face the reality of a season slipping away. The Maranello team’s next steps could determine whether 2025 remains salvageable—or simply becomes a stepping stone toward rebuilding for the future.
