Ferrari entered the 2025 Formula 1 season with high expectations, aiming to mount a serious bid for both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships. Their strong finish to the previous year had positioned them as genuine contenders, with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc pushing Lando Norris hard right up until the season finale in Abu Dhabi. While McLaren clinched the Constructors’ crown, Ferrari fell short by just 14 points—fueling optimism that the arrival of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton would tip the balance in their favor this season.
Although Charles Leclerc voiced early concerns about the direction of Ferrari’s car development during pre-season, there was still confidence within the paddock that the team could, at the very least, battle McLaren to be the best of the rest. However, that narrative has quickly unraveled. Aside from Hamilton’s victory in the Chinese Sprint Race, the team has struggled to produce consistent results, calling into question the impact of their high-profile signing and the trajectory of the SF-25’s development.
Among those tempering expectations is Luca di Montezemolo—a name synonymous with Ferrari’s golden eras. As a former team principal who led the Scuderia to multiple titles during the 1970s, including Niki Lauda’s championship triumphs, Luca di Montezemolo’s opinions still carry considerable weight. At the time of Hamilton’s signing, he had publicly welcomed the move, describing it as bold and potentially transformative. He had told Italian news agency ANSA that Hamilton’s arrival could not only boost Ferrari’s competitiveness but also restore some much-needed glamour and spotlight to the team. He had also anticipated that the internal battle between Hamilton, chasing a historic eighth title, and Leclerc, hungry for his first, would energize the team—provided the car was up to the task.
But his perspective shifted dramatically following his visit to the Bahrain Grand Prix. Speaking with Swiss outlet Blick, the former Ferrari president expressed deep skepticism about Hamilton’s prospects at Ferrari. He now believes the British driver is unlikely to realize his long-held dream of securing a world title with the Scuderia. Montezemolo attributed the team’s persistent shortcomings not to individual drivers, but to what he sees as an erosion of identity and leadership within the organization. He remarked that the Ferrari of old—a team defined by passion, relentless work ethic, and unity—has given way to a group that appears to be chasing victory without a clear strategy or soul.
The Italian businessman also questioned the broader decisions made by Ferrari management, particularly highlighting the puzzling situation involving rising Italian star Kimi Antonelli. Luca di Montezemolo pointed out that it seemed unfathomable to many Italians that Antonelli, a talent with strong national ties, had been picked up by Mercedes instead of Ferrari.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton continues to adapt to life in red. His fifth-place finish in Bahrain was his best Grand Prix result so far with the team. Although he ended the race eight seconds behind Charles Leclerc, the performance was commendable given that Hamilton had started seven places further down the grid. The effort suggested that progress is being made, albeit incrementally.
F1 pundit Martin Brundle has suggested that Lewis Hamilton’s early-season struggles are tied to acclimating to Ferrari’s unique systems and components. The transition has not been trivial: for the first time in over a decade, the Briton is using a different braking system—something that affects his trademark precision under braking, a skill honed over years at McLaren and Mercedes.
Adding to the scrutiny, David Coulthard noted that Lewis Hamilton’s qualifying form remains a concern. The veteran driver has found it difficult to extract maximum performance over one lap—a weakness that became evident last season when George Russell outqualified him more often than not. Despite these challenges, Lewis Hamilton remains undeterred. He has built his career around silencing doubters and turning adversity into fuel. Even as figures like the former Ferrari president revise their stance, the British driver is focused on pushing through Ferrari’s current limitations and laying the groundwork for long-term success with the team.
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