Seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton is continuing his quest to find the perfect driving feel and comfort behind the wheel of his Ferrari SF-25 car. In an effort to improve his on-track performance, the British driver has decided to adopt a new driving philosophy more in line with his teammate Charles Leclerc’s approach. Scuderia Ferrari has officially confirmed that Lewis Hamilton will be taking this new direction for the remainder of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
So far, Lewis Hamilton has struggled significantly to adapt his driving style to the characteristics of the SF-25, Ferrari’s 2025 Formula 1 car. By contrast, his teammate Charles Leclerc seems to have found a way to interpret and drive the same machinery in a more effective and harmonious manner. This divergence in results has led Ferrari to publicly confirm that Hamilton will now align his approach with the setup direction previously chosen by Charles Leclerc.
Specifically, Lewis Hamilton has decided to adopt the car setup used by the Monegasque driver, Charles Leclerc, which had already been implemented by the team starting from the Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg. In the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, Charles Leclerc confirmed that he had followed a different path with his Ferrari, opting for a more oversteer-oriented setup that made the car more agile but also more challenging to handle.
That technical choice has paid off for Charles Leclerc, as he went on to secure four podium finishes in the races following Suzuka. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton is still seeking his first top-three finish since joining Scuderia Ferrari at the start of the 2025 season. The closest the British driver has come to the podium so far was at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, where he narrowly missed out on third place, which was ultimately claimed by Nico Hülkenberg.
Despite the risks associated with a more aggressive setup, particularly in terms of increased tyre degradation, Lewis Hamilton had already hinted during the Austrian Grand Prix that he was beginning to lean toward adopting Charles Leclerc’s configuration. That shift in approach has now been confirmed by Jerome D’Ambrosio, who is part of Ferrari’s driver management and performance team.
When asked directly whether Lewis Hamilton intends to continue with the setup inspired by Charles Leclerc, Jerome D’Ambrosio stated that, at this stage, the answer is yes. According to D’Ambrosio, “To extract the maximum potential from the SF-25, a specific level of balance is required, and Charles Leclerc has been driving a car with a bit more oversteer over the past several races. This has worked well for him and delivered positive results.”
Jerome D’Ambrosio added that Lewis Hamilton has recently moved in that same direction and is actively working to make that setup philosophy effective for his driving style. He explained that this shift also reflects one of the fundamental characteristics of the current Formula 1 technical regulations. The rules tend to produce cars that behave unpredictably when entering corners, resulting in a nervous front end. According to Jerome D’Ambrosio, this trait is something all drivers must learn to manage in order to perform at their best under the current aerodynamic and mechanical limitations.
Lewis Hamilton’s decision to align his setup with that of Charles Leclerc marks a strategic adjustment within the team, highlighting Ferrari’s ongoing efforts to improve overall competitiveness and adapt to the technical demands of the 2025 Formula 1 season. Whether this new approach will allow Hamilton to close the gap to his teammate and return to podium contention remains to be seen. However, it is clear that the British driver is committed to evolving his approach in pursuit of better synergy with his car and stronger results on race weekends.
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