3 MINUTES AGO: Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Failure Criticism Branded Amid… Read more
Lewis Hamilton Branded Ferrari Failure Amid Harsh Team Relationship Criticism
By Hugo Harvey | November 5, 2025 | Maranello, Italy
Former Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has launched a scathing attack on Lewis Hamilton’s high-profile move to Ferrari, describing the partnership as a “financial marketing project” that has failed to live up to expectations. With just four races remaining in the 2025 Formula 1 season, the seven-time world champion finds himself under increasing scrutiny as he struggles to secure even a single podium finish in his debut campaign with the iconic Italian team.
Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari earlier this year was one of the most sensational transfers in F1 history. Fans and pundits alike anticipated a revival of the Scuderia’s championship hopes under his leadership. Yet, reality has been starkly different. Despite flashes of promise in qualifying sessions — notably at the United States and Mexican Grands Prix — the 40-year-old Briton’s performance on race days has been undermined by inconsistent pace, strategy errors, and ongoing difficulties adapting to the SF-25’s unpredictable handling.
For Hamilton, this season represents uncharted territory. Should he fail to reach the podium before the end of the year, it would mark the first time in his illustrious career that he finishes a full F1 season without a top-three result. The situation has fueled growing debate about whether his move to Ferrari was a bold new chapter or a costly misstep.
In an interview with RTL/ntv and sport.de, Ecclestone did not hold back in his assessment of Hamilton’s plight. “Everything is slipping through his fingers there,” the 94-year-old former F1 chief declared. “He wanted to become world champion and is now surprised that he can’t.”
Ecclestone, who led Formula 1 for decades and remains one of the sport’s most outspoken figures, went on to claim that Hamilton’s decision to join Ferrari was driven more by image and finance than by pure racing ambition. “His signing was a financial marketing project, not a racing one,” he insisted. “He may be one of the best of the last ten years, but not the best. The whole Ferrari move has been more about publicity and commercial value than performance.”
The former F1 supremo also hinted that Hamilton’s focus might already be drifting away from the racetrack. “I believe that in the future he will do more with fashion,” Ecclestone concluded, referencing Hamilton’s well-known passion for the fashion industry and activism outside motorsport.
Hamilton, however, remains defiant. Despite the setbacks and the criticism, he has expressed unwavering faith in Ferrari’s long-term vision and his own ability to help steer the team back to winning ways. Speaking after the Mexican Grand Prix, Hamilton admitted that while the season had been far from ideal, he was not ready to give up. “It’s been a tough year, but we’re learning. Every weekend we’re improving, even if the results don’t show it yet,” he said. “Ferrari has immense potential — it’s a matter of time before we unlock it fully.”
Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur has also defended Hamilton, emphasizing that both driver and team are still in the early stages of building a working relationship. “When you bring someone of Lewis’s caliber into a new environment, adaptation takes time,” Vasseur explained. “The car hasn’t been easy to manage, but his feedback has been invaluable for our development for next season.”
Indeed, much of Ferrari’s hope now rests on the upcoming 2026 regulation changes, which will usher in a new era of technical rules and power unit designs. The Maranello-based outfit believes that the reset could give Hamilton the machinery to challenge at the front once again.
While critics like Ecclestone remain doubtful, others argue that it would be premature to write off a driver of Hamilton’s stature after just one challenging season. After all, Formula 1 history is filled with stories of champions who endured difficult transitions before reclaiming glory.
For now, though, Hamilton’s Ferrari adventure hangs in the balance. The final four races of 2025 — including stops in Brazil, Qatar, Las Vegas, and Abu Dhabi — will determine whether he can salvage pride from a difficult debut year, or whether Ecclestone’s damning verdict of a “marketing failure” will become the lasting narrative of his Ferrari journey.
Regardless of the outcome, one thing remains certain: Lewis Hamilton’s determination to fight — both for redemption and for Ferrari’s future — is far from fading.
About The Author
