Lewis Hamilton urged to reclaim key asset as Ferrari struggles expose career-worst form

Lewis Hamilton Under Pressure to Regain Qualifying Form as Ferrari Struggles Persist and Career-Worst Stats Mount

Lewis Hamilton is beginning to face mounting scrutiny as his highly anticipated move to Ferrari has so far failed to yield the results expected of a seven-time Formula 1 world champion. Since joining the Scuderia, Hamilton has not come close to rediscovering the elite form that once made him the most dominant force on the grid. With the 2025 season now at its midpoint, the pressure is building for the 40-year-old to turn things around during the summer break if he hopes to salvage the second half of the campaign.

Currently languishing in sixth place in the drivers’ championship standings, Lewis Hamilton is well off the pace of the title contenders. This is far from the position he envisioned when he made the bold switch from Mercedes to Ferrari. Adding to the disappointment, the Briton has yet to reach the podium this season—a milestone that fans have been eagerly awaiting since the start of the year. However, rather than inching closer to silverware, Hamilton seems to have drifted further away, particularly after Ferrari’s recent upgrades, which appear to have worked better for teammate Charles Leclerc.

Reports have even suggested that as many as 90% of figures within the Formula 1 paddock were skeptical about Ferrari’s decision to sign Lewis Hamilton, despite the initial excitement surrounding the high-profile move. That enthusiasm has since faded, especially after another difficult race at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Hamilton finished well outside the points while Leclerc delivered a far stronger performance. Although Hamilton privately expressed happiness for his teammate, his own struggles remain a cause for concern.

One of the key areas Lewis Hamilton must urgently address is his qualifying performance, an aspect that has long been considered one of his greatest strengths. Ferrari’s rear suspension upgrade, intended to enhance the SF-25 ahead of the 2026 regulation overhaul, has thus far failed to produce the expected improvements. As the sport prepares to return from the summer break for the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, Hamilton must focus on maximising the limited potential of his car if he is to close the gap to Charles Leclerc both in qualifying and on race day.

His one-lap pace has notably declined in recent weeks, with back-to-back Q2 eliminations highlighting his current struggles. Astonishingly, it has now been 747 days since Hamilton last secured a pole position—his most recent coming at the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix. This marks the longest pole-less streak in his illustrious career. Regaining his edge on Saturdays will be crucial if he is to improve his race prospects and avoid being stuck in traffic on Sundays.

Despite these setbacks, Lewis Hamilton has refused to publicly criticise Ferrari for his current woes, instead taking personal responsibility and acknowledging the urgency to improve. With time increasingly becoming a factor at this late stage in his career, he knows that every race counts if he is to achieve meaningful success in red.

Compounding Lewis Hamilton’s difficulties are suggestions that he is now being affected by the same issues that plagued Sebastian Vettel during his final years at Ferrari. The four-time world champion reportedly kept quiet about problems linked to rear instability, which made it difficult to apply power early in corners. This ongoing issue seems to be rooted in Ferrari’s car concept rather than driver-specific shortcomings, indicating that the SF-25 may be inherently limited in certain conditions.

For the Briton, the hope is that these recurring problems will be addressed in time for the major regulation changes set to take effect in 2026. Until then, however, he will need to dig deep and rediscover the precision, consistency, and speed that defined his most dominant years if he is to make his Ferrari dream a reality.