Ferrari Team Orders and Leclerc Dominance Leave Lewis Hamilton Struggling for Answers in 2025 F1 Season
As the Formula 1 paddock arrives at Imola for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton finds himself in unfamiliar territory—firmly trailing teammate Charles Leclerc in the intra-team battle at Ferrari. With five Grands Prix completed so far in 2025, Hamilton has yet to finish ahead of Leclerc on a Sunday, trailing the Monegasque 5-0 in race-day results. The only driver facing a more lopsided teammate deficit is George Russell, who leads Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli 6-0.
Charles Leclerc has been Ferrari’s benchmark in every Grand Prix so far, although Lewis Hamilton did manage a glimmer of success in the Sprint format, taking victory in Shanghai and earning a third-place finish in Miami’s shorter race. However, in the main event in Florida, it was Charles Leclerc who ultimately led the team home in seventh, despite a chaotic pre-race moment that saw him aquaplane into the barriers during the formation lap. That race also featured a contentious debate over team orders, underlining the growing competitive tension at Maranello.
Despite Charles Leclerc’s clean sweep of full-length races, only 12 points separate the two drivers in the standings—a statistic that arguably says more about Ferrari’s overall lack of pace than about intra-team dominance. The Scuderia have recorded just four double-digit points finishes across six Grands Prix and are fourth in the Constructors’ standings, significantly behind McLaren, who have emerged as Red Bull’s closest challengers.
Qualifying sessions haven’t brought Lewis Hamilton much relief either. Following a Q2 exit in Miami, Charles Leclerc now holds a 5-1 advantage in qualifying sessions, or 6-2 when including Sprints. According to data reported last month, Carlos Sainz had outperformed the Briton by a factor of ten in terms of intra-team qualifying deltas—a concerning trend that mirrors the seven-time World Champion’s final season at Mercedes, where he struggled with one-lap pace.
Why Beating Leclerc Isn’t Lewis Hamilton’s Main Goal at Ferrari in 2025
Ferrari’s failure to challenge for race wins is reportedly Lewis Hamilton’s primary frustration—not the personal rivalry with his Maranello teammate. While every elite driver wants to outperform their teammate, those close to Hamilton have suggested that he finds little satisfaction in beating Charles Leclerc if the reward is merely a fifth or sixth-place finish. According to Motorsport Italy, the British driver won’t be celebrating intra-team victories unless Ferrari are once again genuine contenders for wins and titles.
Sources within Lewis Hamilton’s circle have indicated that he isn’t chasing hollow victories over Leclerc, noting that the ultimate goal remains helping Ferrari return to the front of the grid. They suggest that even if Hamilton were to gain an advantage in the internal battle, he would remain unsatisfied unless it meant real progress in the championship standings.
This outlook echoes Hamilton’s 2022 approach at Mercedes, when he often pursued unconventional set-up directions to extract more from a troubled car. Those experimental weekends often handed George Russell the numerical edge in both qualifying (19-5) and race (13-7) head-to-heads.
Ferrari’s Brake Supplier Rumours Spark Tension Behind the Scenes
One of the more unusual challenges Hamilton has faced since joining Ferrari involves braking performance. Reports earlier this season suggested Ferrari had considered switching away from Brembo brake systems—a move that would represent a significant change in the team’s technical set-up. Hamilton had used Carbon Industrie pads throughout his Mercedes tenure and reportedly found adapting to Brembo’s feel to be difficult.
The rumoured brake supplier change appeared to ruffle feathers both inside the team and with sponsors, with Brembo—an iconic Italian company—reportedly displeased by the speculation. For a team so tied to national identity and tradition, any move away from an Italian supplier would likely be met with internal resistance.
At present, Ferrari continue to lean toward set-up philosophies that suit Charles Leclerc’s driving style, a decision justified by his consistent performances but one that leaves Lewis Hamilton adjusting to a package not tailored to his strengths. With results lagging and no obvious resolution in sight, team boss Fred Vasseur finds himself walking a tightrope—balancing harmony between two star drivers while trying to close a growing gap to the front-runners.
If upgrades fail to deliver immediate progress, Lewis Hamilton’s first season in red could become more about groundwork for 2026 than chasing silverware in 2025.
