Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari debut season mirrors Kimi Raikkonen’s forgotten struggles
Lewis Hamilton arrived at Ferrari with the ambition of chasing an unprecedented eighth Formula 1 drivers’ championship. Instead, the British driver has found himself enduring one of the most challenging debut campaigns of his career. With seven Grand Prix weekends left on the calendar and 199 championship points still available, Hamilton is already mathematically unable to catch current standings leader Oscar Piastri, effectively ending any remote title hopes in his first year with the Scuderia.
Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton’s Maranello teammate, remains mathematically in contention, yet the overall performance of the SF-25 has left little room for optimism. While the Monegasque occasionally extracted stronger results, the team’s lack of consistency suggests his challenge will also soon fade. For Hamilton, the situation is particularly striking: he recently surpassed an unwanted Ferrari record, becoming the driver with the most starts for the Italian marque without recording a single podium finish. Victories in Sprint events, such as his win in China and a third place in Miami, are not officially recognised in Formula 1’s historical statistics and therefore do not alter this unfortunate record.
The growing sense of frustration became clear through Hamilton’s recent radio messages, where both he and Leclerc expressed difficulties in controlling the Ferrari SF-25. The car’s balance issues, tyre degradation problems and inconsistent setups have prevented either driver from mounting a serious challenge. For Hamilton, this scenario brings uncomfortable parallels to the struggles endured by Ferrari’s last world champion, Kimi Raikkonen, during his troubled 2014 season.
Kimi Raikkonen’s 2014 Ferrari season – a year without a podium
When Kimi Raikkonen returned to Ferrari in 2014, expectations were high. After winning the championship with the Scuderia in 2007 and impressing during his Lotus years, fans believed he could re-establish Ferrari as a front-running force. Instead, the Finnish driver endured one of his most frustrating campaigns. Across 19 races, Raikkonen failed to score a single podium, managing only 55 points and finishing 12th in the drivers’ standings. His best result came at Spa-Francorchamps, where he finished fourth, while teammate Fernando Alonso collected 161 points and reached the podium twice.
Raikkonen admitted at the time that adapting to Ferrari’s new hybrid-era machinery proved more difficult than expected. He pointed out that when a car did not naturally suit his driving style, it was difficult to make changes within the team’s development structure. Despite Ferrari outlining plans for improvement, Raikkonen acknowledged that the season was disappointing for himself, for Ferrari, and for the tifosi. Speaking to media outlets in 2014, he reflected on the campaign as a year to learn from rather than celebrate, noting that Ferrari’s expectations to fight at the front were far from reality.
Even with those struggles, Raikkonen still valued his association with Ferrari, stressing that being their most recent world champion was an achievement he cherished. His loyalty to the team was clear, even in the midst of one of his most difficult campaigns.
Hamilton’s Ferrari campaign compared to past struggles
Now, almost a decade later, Lewis Hamilton finds himself in danger of replicating Raikkonen’s unwanted statistic. If he finishes the season without a podium, Hamilton would join a short list of Ferrari drivers who failed to secure a top-three result across an entire championship. Since 1980, only four other drivers have suffered this fate, including the Finn in 2014, Felipe Massa in 2011, Ivan Capelli in 1992, and Didier Pironi in 1981.
Massa was retained by Ferrari for two more years despite his podium drought before moving to Williams. Capelli, however, was released at the end of 1992 after a disappointing campaign and exited Formula 1 altogether shortly after. Didier Pironi’s story was different; although he endured a podium-less season in 1981, he remained with Ferrari and looked on course to win the title in 1982 until a career-ending accident cut short his challenge. Kimi Raikkonen, for his part, returned to the podium just four races into the following season, showing that Ferrari drivers can rebound quickly after barren runs.
Hamilton’s challenge and Ferrari’s dilemma
For Hamilton, the struggle is not entirely unfamiliar. At Mercedes, he also faced years where tyre management, setup compromises, and strategic indecision limited his ability to fight consistently at the front. But the 2025 grid is far more competitive, with smaller gaps between teams, meaning that even minor execution errors can cost valuable positions. In this environment, Ferrari’s lack of precision has compounded Hamilton’s adjustment difficulties.
Despite these setbacks, Ferrari’s history suggests they do not abandon drivers quickly during rough patches. The Scuderia has traditionally valued long-term relationships, giving drivers time to adapt and contribute to car development. Hamilton’s proven pedigree—seven world championships, 103 race victories, and countless records—ensures that Ferrari will continue investing in his success. Many within the paddock believe that with improved technical alignment and communication, Hamilton can still deliver the kind of results that motivated Ferrari to sign him in the first place.
As the season approaches its final stretch, the Briton is fighting not only to avoid joining an exclusive but unwanted Ferrari statistic but also to lay the groundwork for a stronger second season. Just as Kimi Raikkonen bounced back in 2015, Hamilton and Ferrari hope that this challenging debut year will become the foundation for a return to winning ways in the near future.
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