Frustrated Hamilton Matches Leclerc Pace i....read more

Frustrated Hamilton Matches Leclerc Pace i….read more

After a challenging Spanish Grand Prix that left Lewis Hamilton feeling “punch drunk,” former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard believes there’s still a glimmer of hope for the seven-time World Champion as he slowly finds his footing at Ferrari. Since making the high-profile switch to the Scuderia ahead of the 2025 season, Hamilton has been consistently outperformed by teammate Charles Leclerc, with results falling short of expectations.

Despite a promising moment earlier in the season when Hamilton secured pole position and won the Sprint Race in China, his time at Ferrari has largely been frustrating. The Spanish Grand Prix was another disappointing chapter, where Hamilton, although showing some improvement, once again struggled to deliver the results both he and the team are aiming for.

In Barcelona, Hamilton managed to outqualify Leclerc for only the second time this season in Grand Prix qualifying—a rare highlight in a year where he has generally lagged behind the Monegasque driver. That qualifying success raised hopes of a possible podium finish, a milestone he has yet to achieve in Ferrari colors. However, those hopes were quickly dashed once the race began. Hamilton lacked pace in the opening stint and quickly fell back from the frontrunners.

Ferrari eventually instructed him to let Leclerc through, a move that allowed Leclerc to push ahead and secure third place at the chequered flag. Meanwhile, Hamilton’s struggles continued. He slipped further down the order and was overtaken late in the race by Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber, eventually finishing a disappointing sixth.

Throughout the race, Hamilton’s radio exchanges with his engineer Riccardo Adami revealed the extent of his dissatisfaction. These tense communications have become a recurring feature this season, reflecting the ongoing frustration that seems to be hampering his ability to settle into his new team. The lack of a podium finish underscores the difficulty he’s having in adapting to Ferrari’s machinery and internal dynamics.

However, Coulthard believes not all is lost. He pointed to Hamilton’s competitive pace during the middle stint of the Spanish Grand Prix, where he matched Leclerc’s lap times, as a sign that the veteran driver still has the capability to challenge if the circumstances align. With a long season still ahead, Ferrari and Hamilton will be hoping that this relative progress marks the beginning of a turnaround. For now, though, Hamilton remains in search of both performance and comfort in his new red overalls.