JUST IN: Ferrari disputes Mercedes theory on Lewis Hamilton F1 woes… Read more
Ferrari Rejects Mercedes’ Claim About Lewis Hamilton’s Formula 1 Struggles
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has dismissed the notion put forward by Mercedes that Lewis Hamilton’s difficulties in recent years stem from his driving style being unsuited to the current generation of Formula 1 cars.
The seven-time world champion’s first season with Ferrari has been far from smooth. Having moved from Mercedes at the beginning of 2025, Hamilton has endured inconsistent results, with his struggles in qualifying standing out as a stark contrast to his past dominance.
Since Formula 1 reintroduced ground-effect aerodynamics in 2022, Hamilton has secured only two victories, a drastic drop for a driver who previously defined an era of success with Mercedes. While much of this downturn was initially attributed to Mercedes’ decline, questions have also been raised about Hamilton’s adaptation to the technical demands of modern machinery.
During the 2024 season, Mercedes’ Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin noted that Hamilton had difficulty extracting performance over a single lap, particularly in qualifying. That year, Hamilton was out-qualified by George Russell in 19 of the 24 Grands Prix – a striking statistic for a driver who boasts a record 104 career pole positions. Shovlin suggested Hamilton’s trademark aggressive corner entry often unsettled the ground-effect cars, leading to snap oversteer and compromised tyre preparation.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff echoed that assessment, suggesting Hamilton’s inability to fully gel with the current regulations had limited his competitiveness. Wolff went on to argue that Hamilton’s fortunes could change under the sweeping 2026 regulations, which will introduce radically different car designs and new power unit rules.
“Lewis has unfinished business in Formula 1,” Wolff said. “These last few years have been difficult because ground-effect cars never really suited him. But with the new generation of machines, it’s a reset. His intelligence and adaptability will play a huge role in mastering the new systems. That’s why I expect him to be reinvigorated with Ferrari next year.”
However, Ferrari boss Vasseur has rejected the suggestion that Hamilton’s driving style is the fundamental cause of his problems. Speaking to Auto Motor und Sport, Vasseur argued that while the ground-effect era initially posed challenges across the grid, the issue of “porpoising” and bouncing has largely been brought under control. In his view, Hamilton’s struggles cannot simply be attributed to incompatibility with the cars.
“I don’t think this is Lewis’ war,” Vasseur insisted. “If the bouncing problem had persisted, perhaps then it would have been more relevant. But today, we have the situation under control. It’s not about his style not fitting the car.”
Despite moments of frustration – including Hamilton describing himself as “useless” after a shock Q2 exit at the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix while teammate Charles Leclerc stormed to pole – Vasseur remains convinced that the British star will find his footing in red.
Hamilton’s adaptation to Ferrari has undoubtedly been challenging, but the Scuderia leadership believes the driver’s class and determination will prevail. With the new regulations looming in 2026, both Ferrari and Mercedes acknowledge that the slate will be wiped clean, offering Hamilton a genuine opportunity to reassert himself at the top of the sport.
For now, Ferrari’s message is clear: the team does not believe that Hamilton’s trademark late-braking aggression is outdated. Instead, they argue that his difficulties are part of the broader learning curve faced by all drivers adjusting to this era of cars.
At 40, Hamilton continues to chase the elusive eighth world championship, and Ferrari remains adamant that his driving genius is far from spent.
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