Bottas Reveals the Two Main Reasons Behind Lewis Hamilton’s Struggles in His First Ferrari F1 Season
Few drivers in the Formula 1 paddock understand Lewis Hamilton as intimately as Valtteri Bottas, having spent five years as his teammate at Mercedes. During their 100 Grand Prix together, the duo formed a highly successful partnership, dominating the constructors’ standings and contributing to Lewis Hamilton’s final four world titles. The Finnish driver’s tenure with Mercedes ended in 2022 when he moved to Alfa Romeo, making way for George Russell, but he has since returned to the Silver Arrows in a reserve driver role this season.
While Lewis Hamilton begins his next chapter with Ferrari, the start of his time at Maranello has been anything but smooth. After the opening ten races of the 2025 Formula 1 season, both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships already appear to be out of reach for the Scuderia. Ferrari’s recent hesitations over upcoming development packages underscore the current lack of confidence within the team.
In the midst of Ferrari’s struggles, Valtteri Bottas, who now plays a mentoring role for Andrea Kimi Antonelli in Hamilton’s absence, was recently asked for his thoughts on why his former teammate hasn’t been able to immediately thrive in red. During an interview with Formula1.it, the Finnish driver reflected on his own past links with Ferrari and gave insight into the technical and adaptation challenges Lewis Hamilton may be facing.
Valtteri Bottas admitted that he had once been close to a move to Ferrari, though many years had passed since those discussions. The former Sauber driver explained that he understood why the Briton had chosen to make the switch, suggesting that sometimes drivers need to make bold decisions to reignite their careers. Valtteri Bottas described Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari as a life-changing opportunity, which he believed was both exciting and meaningful for the seven-time world champion.
When asked to elaborate on Lewis Hamilton’s difficulties, the Finn offered a technical explanation. He said that although he had not yet tested Ferrari’s 2025 car himself, he anticipated doing so in the summer. Based on his knowledge of both power units, the former Mercedes driver believed that the key differences between the German side and Ferrari engines lie not in peak power but rather in driveability and the behaviour of the engine during braking. He theorised that the seven-time Formula 1 world champion was likely struggling to adjust to these characteristics and would need time to fully adapt.
Lewis Hamilton’s challenges at Ferrari also come at a time of great uncertainty in the Formula 1 driver market. His high-profile switch last year triggered widespread movement across the grid, with only McLaren and Aston Martin retaining their driver line-ups over the winter. As the 2025 season unfolds, several teams are still yet to finalise contracts, and Mercedes is again at the heart of speculation. Both George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli remain without confirmed deals for next year.
While Mercedes is expected to retain both drivers, what’s more telling is how few teams are reportedly interested in signing Lewis Hamilton once his current Ferrari contract concludes. This shift in perception reflects growing doubts about the Briton’s long-term competitiveness, especially as F1 transitions further into the ground-effect era—a technical shift that has appeared to challenge the British driver more than most.
Alex Brundle has even raised concerns that the upcoming generation of Formula 1 cars might not play to the Briton’s strengths, which only deepens the concern surrounding his performance ceiling at Ferrari. Nonetheless, the Italian squad remains hopeful that with time and more mileage behind the wheel of the SF-25, the Ferrari driver will gradually adapt to the nuances of the Maranello power unit—particularly in terms of engine braking and responsiveness—and begin to deliver results more in line with expectations.
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