Lewis Hamilton Branded ‘Desperate’ Amid Ferrari’s Ongoing St...

Lewis Hamilton Branded ‘Desperate’ Amid Ferrari’s Ongoing Struggle

Lewis Hamilton’s high-profile transition from Mercedes to Ferrari has not gone according to plan, with Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko describing the seven-time world champion as looking “desperate” following a rocky start to the 2025 Formula 1 season.

Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was one of the biggest talking points in the sport’s recent history, generating immense excitement among fans and analysts alike. Many anticipated a competitive resurgence for both Hamilton and the Maranello-based team. However, just a few races into the new season, that initial wave of optimism has given way to a harsh reality: the pairing has yet to click.

The 40-year-old Briton has been visibly struggling to adapt to Ferrari’s SF-25, particularly with its unpredictable rear end—a problem that has left him vulnerable under braking and in high-speed corners. These are crucial areas where Ferrari’s performance has lagged, and they’ve proven to be especially challenging for Hamilton, who has built his reputation on precision and confidence in such conditions.

After the first few rounds, Hamilton has only managed to gather 31 points, a disappointing tally for a driver of his caliber. His toughest race so far came in Saudi Arabia, where he was significantly outpaced by teammate Charles Leclerc across nearly all sessions. Despite a promising Q1 session, thanks to a well-timed tyre strategy, Hamilton ultimately finished the race in seventh place—more than 30 seconds behind Leclerc. This sort of performance gap within a team has not been seen from Hamilton since the 2017 season, raising serious questions about whether he can find his footing with Ferrari any time soon.

Helmut Marko, never one to shy away from bold comments, shared his thoughts on Hamilton’s form in an interview with F1-Insider. According to the Austrian, Hamilton’s current struggles might stem from his attention already drifting toward 2026, when Formula 1 is set to introduce a significant overhaul of its technical regulations.

“He does indeed seem desperate,” Marko stated. “But I believe he’s waiting for the 2026 car and hopes that Ferrari will not only hit the jackpot with this car, but that the Scuderia will also build a car that he can handle better.”

Hamilton’s decision to leave Mercedes after 13 seasons—during which he secured six of his seven world titles—was heavily motivated by the looming 2026 regulation changes. The new rules are expected to drastically reshape the sport, with new power unit specifications and chassis designs aimed at improving sustainability and performance balance.

For now, though, Hamilton remains locked in a challenging situation. His Ferrari stint is still in its early days, but with the team still grappling with persistent car issues, the pressure is beginning to mount. Whether the gamble to switch teams ultimately pays off might not be clear until the new era of F1 begins in 2026. Until then, Hamilton and Ferrari must find a way to close the gap and prove that this partnership can live up to the hype.