Lewis Hamilton: What can Ferrari driver salvage from turbulent debut F1 marketing campaign with Italian workforce?

As was the case a number of months in the past in the beginning of his debut Formulation 1 marketing campaign with Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton will arrive on the first race after the summer time break in unfamiliar territory.

The seven-time world champion’s Ferrari bow in Australia again in March noticed him put on crimson and work alongside his new colleagues in a grand prix surroundings for the primary time.

Whereas the 40-year-old has step by step adjusted to the partnership between the game’s most well-known driver and workforce, many components of his blockbuster change from Mercedes have but to play out as he would have hoped.

Hamilton will go into this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort with out having scored a grand prix podium in his first 14 outings for Ferrari.

The longest streak with no podium to start out a season he had beforehand skilled was 9, which occurred when he was at McLaren in 2009 and at Mercedes final yr. In every of his 16 different F1 campaigns, he had made it onto the rostrum by the third spherical of the season.

Whereas Hamilton did declare a Dash pole and victory on the second spherical of the season in China, joyous moments have largely been missing since that Saturday in Shanghai, and the scenario seemed to be spiralling on the ultimate couple of rounds earlier than the summer time break.

Disappointing qualifying performances in Belgium after which Hungary led to Hamilton declaring himself “useless” and flippantly suggesting that Ferrari ought to exchange him.

On condition that hasn’t occurred, Sky Sports activities assesses what Hamilton can nonetheless salvage from the ultimate 10 rounds of the season.

Get on the rostrum!

Hamilton’s most evident goal for the rest of the yr should be to finish the streak he has constructed of races with out ending on the rostrum.

It isn’t as if he has been miles away from reaching the feat. He has three fourth-placed finishes this season.

It should not require a miracle for him to tug it off, whereas it is also price noting Ferrari had been notably sturdy round this time final yr.

Leclerc received in Monza and Austin earlier than Hamilton’s predecessor, Carlos Sainz, was victorious in Mexico Metropolis, and it may have fairly feasibly been 4 wins in a span of 5 races for Ferrari because the Monegasque narrowly missed out in Azerbaijan.

It stays to be seen whether or not Ferrari can reproduce such a surge with the constraints of their SF-25, which seems to have elementary points which are stopping them from working the automobile as low to the bottom as they wish to.

Regardless of these points, Leclerc has made it onto the rostrum 5 occasions, so there may be clearly sufficient efficiency within the automobile to try this, even when it isn’t sufficient to beat the McLarens.

The important thing to Hamilton getting again on the rostrum is enhancing his efficiency on a Saturday. Leclerc has began within the high three on 5 events, whereas Hamilton has achieved his finest grand prix qualifying place of fourth on simply as soon as.

Rediscover some confidence

Scoring a podium, or higher but a win, would undoubtedly do wonders for Hamilton’s confidence, which appeared to have reached an all-time low in Hungary.

His post-qualifying feedback in Budapest revealed that excessive self-doubt is seeping into his psyche, which for an F1 driver generally is a downward spiral.

Nonetheless, the psychological fortitude the 105-time race winner can’t be underestimated, and he’ll little question return revitalised after the summer time break.

The proof we have seen to this point in 2025 suggests it is extremely unlikely that it is all going to be clean crusing for Hamilton the remainder of the best way, however mixing some highs in with the lows might be crucial to making sure he carries some perception into 2026, and even needs to hold on.

No matter occurs, most F1 followers would like to see Hamilton smiling moderately than being left to berate himself in post-session interviews.

Proceed to construct relationships

Whereas adjusting to Ferrari’s automobile may need been Hamilton’s largest problem, acclimatising to a brand new surroundings seems to have been a detailed second.

Hamilton, a cosmopolitan determine, knew there can be one thing of a tradition shock as he swapped the UK-based groups at which he had spent the primary 18 years of his F1 profession for Maranello.

Whereas he is expressed his delight on the high quality of pizza out there domestically, Hamilton seems to have taken problem with sure working practices on the workforce.

He has repeatedly spoken publicly about his makes an attempt to vary the best way sure issues are finished, with a very notable interview forward of the Belgian Grand Prix in July seeing him reveal particulars of his efforts.

“Some of it is structural adjustments that we need to make as a team in order to get better in all the areas that we want to improve, and then the other one was really about the current issues that I have with this year’s car,” Hamilton defined.

Whereas his intention is clearly constructive – and justified given Ferrari’s soon-to-be 17-year title drought, it is honest to query whether or not these working on the workforce will admire his very candid method.

Amid his personal frustrations, Hamilton should guarantee he retains the workforce on facet as he seeks to affect the design of Ferrari’s 2026 challenger, after which hopefully make the most of it subsequent yr.

Push 2026 automobile in his path

Whereas the whole lot talked about up up to now may enhance Hamilton’s short-term outlook, the factor that’s actually protecting him going is the hope that subsequent yr could be very totally different.

The speculation, which retains the prospect of Hamilton profitable a file eighth drivers’ title as a actuality, is that there’s something concerning the present technology of automobiles that does not swimsuit his driving fashion, and the large modifications to engine and chassis for subsequent yr may restore him as one of many sport’s highest.

It has been painfully clear in qualifying – this season and final – that he has been unable to match Leclerc and earlier than that George Russell at Mercedes.

Hamilton may argue he is been troubled by the traits of the automobiles supplied to him by Mercedes and Ferrari moderately than the technology as a complete, with it unclear what he would have been in a position to do in Max Verstappen’s Pink Bulls of current years or the dominant 2025 McLaren.

It does not actually matter at this level. For Hamilton to grasp his dream of ending Ferrari’s title drought, he’ll want a automobile that’s each fast and fits his fashion, as a result of the SF-25 is clearly working higher for Leclerc.

On one hand, it is honest to query whether or not Hamilton has finished sufficient throughout his debut season to persuade the Ferrari design workforce to motion his requests, however on one other, it will make loads of sense for them to strive one thing totally different.

Whereas Leclerc’s velocity cannot be questioned, he hasn’t received a fame for being a driver who excels by way of serving to automobile growth. Saying that, it must also be famous that he’s paid to drive, not design the automobile!

Regardless, probably the most important factor Hamilton can obtain over the rest of the season is guaranteeing the 2026 automobile is as shut as attainable to how he needs it to be.

Formulation 1 returns after the summer time break with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort this weekend, dwell on Sky Sports activities F1. Stream Sky Sports activities with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime