Lewis Hamilton’s attempts to push Ferrari towards major operational change are reportedly creating increasingly different reactions inside Maranello, with some staff supporting his frustration while others believe the seven-time world champion has been too quick to blame engineers for problems linked to his own performances.
The debate has intensified after a sequence of difficult weekends involving team orders, strategic disagreements, penalties and another challenging Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Hamilton has repeatedly argued that Ferrari must change aspects of how it operates if the team is to avoid repeating the same outcomes, with the Scuderia now facing the prospect of its Formula 1 title drought in both championships extending to an 18th consecutive season.
Ferrari staff divided over Lewis Hamilton criticism
According to the Italia daily newspaper Corriere della Sera, information emerging from inside Maranello points to a split response to Lewis Hamilton’s recent comments. One group believes the British driver has legitimate reasons to be impatient and considers Ferrari to have been too favourable towards Charles Leclerc in some situations.
Fred Vasseur has declined to prioritise Hamilton’s championship pursuit of Kimi Antonelli despite the Briton having held a substantial points advantage over his Ferrari team-mate. Hamilton has not always addressed that issue explicitly, but his frustration with Ferrari’s handling of the two cars has nevertheless become increasingly visible.
The internal dynamic is particularly relevant as questions continue to surround Lewis Hamilton’s assessment of Ferrari’s longer-term direction. With immediate championship ambitions fading, the way Ferrari manages its drivers and operational structure is becoming an increasingly important part of the wider discussion around the team.
Zandvoort and Monza added to Hamilton’s frustration
At Zandvoort, Lewis Hamilton was frustrated when Ferrari did not swap its drivers after he caught Charles Leclerc while running on fresher tyres. The situation reinforced his concerns about how the team was managing the internal battle.
The tension increased further at Monza. An incident involving the two Ferrari drivers sent Hamilton into the gravel and cost him six positions. Following that episode, the British driver reportedly came to believe that Fred Vasseur was somewhat too close to Charles Leclerc, adding another dimension to his dissatisfaction with how Ferrari handled the relationship between its drivers.
The increasingly complicated internal comparison can also be followed through Ferrari’s wider season coverage of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, whose respective campaigns have repeatedly intersected through strategy, race management and on-track battles.
Some Ferrari insiders blame Hamilton’s own mistakes
Not everyone inside Ferrari shares Hamilton’s interpretation. Corriere della Sera also reported that some members of the team believe the 41-year-old has made too many errors during the season and has at times been too willing to place responsibility on engineers for performances they consider below his own standards.
Those concerns are partly linked to a difficult sequence between the British and Hungarian Grands Prix. Hamilton received three penalties across three consecutive races: one for a false start, another following a collision with George Russell and a third for speeding in the pit lane.
At the same time, Hamilton also questioned Ferrari’s strategic decisions at Silverstone and the Hungaroring. Those complaints contributed to a growing pattern in which the seven-time world champion has attempted to influence not only the performance of the car but also the processes surrounding race execution.
Lewis Hamilton’s drive to transform Ferrari meets resistance
Hamilton’s determination to change Ferrari extends beyond individual strategic decisions. He has sought to intervene across a wide range of areas, from communication practices to seemingly smaller details such as the colour of paint used at the factory.
That determination is presented as part of his broader effort to transform the team, but it has reportedly alienated some colleagues. Despite Hamilton publicly rejecting the idea that he is unhappy with particular Ferrari employees, the perception that he is dissatisfied with members of the trackside engineering group has persisted.
The pressure surrounding the wider organisation has also been highlighted elsewhere, with Ferrari’s recurring championship shortcomings becoming an increasingly prominent theme as the team searches for a route back to sustained title contention.
Baku weekend adds another difficult chapter
Lewis Hamilton’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend provided little relief. He qualified seventh in Baku, his lowest starting position since the opening round in Australia. The British driver attributed the result partly to the timing of his qualifying run, which prevented him from benefiting from a slipstream.
Hamilton gained one position during the race to finish sixth, but his concerns continued. He complained about Ferrari’s lack of power as well as the balance of the car, issues that had already affected his ability to compete effectively during the weekend.
The performance problems in Azerbaijan formed part of a broader technical picture for the Scuderia, with Ferrari’s technical development and SF-26 limitations remaining under close scrutiny as the 2026 season progresses.
The result leaves Ferrari dealing with two overlapping challenges. Hamilton continues to demand change in the belief that the team’s operational approach must improve, while some within Maranello reportedly believe the British driver should accept greater responsibility for his own mistakes. That division makes the final phase of the season important not only for results, but also for how Ferrari manages the relationship between its most decorated driver, its engineering staff and its leadership.
