Lewis Hamilton arrived at Ferrari amid grand ceremonies, fanfare, and sky-high expectations. His first hours in Italy captured global attention, as his move had been one of the most sensational stories in the sports transfer market. The British driver was almost portrayed as a “savior,” the missing piece needed to bring the World Championship back to Maranello. Yet his season quickly turned from a dream to a nightmare: he never truly clicked with the team or the car, aside from a few fleeting flashes of speed, leaving his season still thin on podiums.
The struggles of a champion
Recently, Lewis Hamilton has experienced some challenging moments. Since 2021, he has secured only one pole position and two victories, but never before has he appeared so frustrated and disheartened. “Ferrari should look for another driver,” he remarked in Hungary. “A nightmare,” he admitted in Brazil. “The worst season of my career,” he added again in Las Vegas. Strong words for someone who has always lived by the mantra that he will rise again. Yet the desire for redemption remains, and in front of journalists in America, amid rumors of an early exit, Lewis Hamilton was unequivocal: “I’m not retiring.”
Ferrari’s perspective
However, there is suspicion that this love and hope might not be mutual. Ferrari may be quietly regretting his multi-year, high-value contract—especially as his near-direct replacement, Oliver Bearman, is showing growth with the right mix of maturity and speed. The team has also seen that a rookie can thrive as a full-time driver without fear, as Mercedes has demonstrated. Lewis Hamilton’s strong opinions on car models, his reports displayed publicly in press conferences, and his critiques of the team’s methods—whether solicited or not—highlight his unwillingness to fully conform to Ferrari’s culture.
The longer the season goes on, the more Lewis Hamilton’s contract risks becoming a costly mistake. Yet no one at Ferrari would dare terminate it, unless the first proposal comes from Lewis Hamilton himself. This is not just a matter of money or image, but also because doing so would reveal a rarely discussed issue: if even a multi-world champion cannot fix Ferrari’s course, there is something deeply wrong behind the scenes.
So Lewis stays, digs in and vows to turn it around in 2026 with the new regulations. Publicly, Ferrari smiles and backs its star. Privately, more than a few in Maranello might breathe a quiet sigh of relief if he ever decided to walk first.
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