Lewis Hamilton increasingly likely to face grid penalties following concerning Ferrari strategy call. Lewis Hamilton's hunt for a first Ferrari podium faces a new threat.

Lewis Hamilton Still Chasing First Ferrari Podium as Power Unit Concerns Threaten Grid Penalties

Lewis Hamilton’s dream of celebrating his first Formula 1 podium as a Ferrari driver remains unfulfilled, as the 2025 Formula 1 season continues to present new challenges for the Maranello-based team.

Seven rounds into the current campaign, Hamilton’s most promising performances have come exclusively in Sprint events. His Sprint race win in China and third-place finish in Miami have highlighted that the seven-time world champion still possesses the pace and racecraft to battle among the leaders—when given the machinery to do so.

Unfortunately for Hamilton and his teammate Charles Leclerc, the Ferrari SF-25 has yet to offer them a package capable of consistently competing at the front. One of the most pressing issues has been qualifying, where Ferrari’s car struggles to generate optimal grip from fresh tyres. This shortcoming culminated in a historic low at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, where for the first time, Ferrari failed to start a race at Imola with either driver inside the top ten.

The Scuderia is attempting to resolve some of these issues with technical upgrades, including a revised rear suspension aimed at improving car stability. But an even more concerning problem has now surfaced behind the scenes—one that could significantly disrupt Hamilton’s hopes of a successful debut season in red.

Ferrari Monitoring Power Unit Reliability as Customer Teams Suffer Engine Failures

According to a report from Formula1.it, Ferrari engineers are growing increasingly anxious over potential power unit reliability concerns, which have already impacted customer teams Haas and Sauber. While Hamilton and Leclerc have managed to complete every race distance so far—aside from their disqualifications in Shanghai due to technical infringements—Ferrari’s partner teams have not been as fortunate.

Alarming signs first appeared in Miami when Haas rookie Oliver Bearman and Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto both retired due to engine failures. A similar issue later forced Esteban Ocon out of the Emilia Romagna GP, intensifying Ferrari’s internal concerns.

These failures have prompted Ferrari to begin rotating power unit components earlier than anticipated. Both factory drivers received new elements during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in an effort to preempt reliability setbacks. Sources within the team have reportedly confirmed that, to preserve reliability over the full 24-race calendar, Ferrari will reduce the mileage each power unit component is allowed to accumulate.

This approach raises the likelihood that both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will exceed the FIA’s permitted limit on engine components before the season concludes—resulting in grid penalties.

Lewis Hamilton Faces Fresh Setback as Ferrari Adopts Conservative Engine Strategy

While the reliability precautions are unlikely to affect outright performance, they may severely limit component life cycles, forcing additional changes that trigger automatic penalties. Under current F1 regulations, each driver is allowed to use no more than four of each major power unit element—such as the internal combustion engine (ICE), turbocharger, MGU-H, MGU-K—and just two energy stores and control electronics over the entire season.

Given that Ferrari has already begun swapping out some of these elements before the halfway point of the season, the risk of grid penalties for both drivers is now a realistic threat.

Team principal Fred Vasseur now finds himself facing yet another significant challenge in what has already been a difficult season. Ferrari’s performance slump, particularly in qualifying, has left the team trailing the frontrunners. The looming prospect of grid penalties could make Hamilton’s pursuit of podiums even more difficult, as starting lower on the grid would only compound the team’s competitiveness issues.

Customer and Future Partners Eye Ferrari’s Response to Reliability Concerns

With Ferrari power units also used by Haas and Sauber, pressure is mounting for the Scuderia to quickly identify and resolve the root of these failures. Both customer teams have already suffered more reliability woes than the works team, and their dependence on Ferrari engines leaves them equally vulnerable.

Looking ahead, the situation is even more critical given that Cadillac—set to enter Formula 1 in 2026—will be powered by Ferrari engines. The American outfit will expect these issues to be resolved well before their competitive debut.

As Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc continue to search for solutions to their 2025 struggles, the last thing they need is the added setback of avoidable grid drops due to component overuse. With the team under pressure on multiple fronts, Ferrari’s ability to manage its reliability concerns could make or break the rest of the Briton’s debut season in scarlet red.