Lewis Hamilton setback as Ferrari SF-25 ‘crisis’ scenario un.....

Lewis Hamilton setback as Ferrari SF-25 ‘crisis’ scenario un…..read more

Lewis Hamilton’s start to life at Ferrari has not gone as hoped, with the early stages of the 2025 Formula 1 season proving to be a tough adjustment for the seven-time World Champion. Despite high expectations surrounding his move from Mercedes, Hamilton has struggled to find his footing in Ferrari’s latest car, the SF-25.

Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that a significant flaw has been identified in the SF-25, particularly during qualifying conditions. According to the publication, the car reportedly “goes into crisis” when driven with low fuel levels and through slow-speed corners—conditions that are typical in qualifying sessions. This issue seems to be related to a lack of mechanical grip, making it difficult for the car to perform optimally when it is light and needs to extract maximum grip from the tires.

While Hamilton did take some positives by winning the Sprint race in China from pole position, his performance in traditional Grand Prix sessions has been underwhelming. He has yet to finish ahead of teammate Charles Leclerc in any main race so far this season. In fact, in recent events like Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, Hamilton has trailed Leclerc by more than half a second in qualifying—an unusually large gap for a driver of his caliber.

Hamilton himself has described the SF-25 as feeling “alien” compared to the Mercedes machinery he piloted for over a decade. His struggle to adapt is reportedly causing concern within the Ferrari camp, with internal patience beginning to wear thin. Team insiders are allegedly predicting more difficulties ahead, including a potentially tough weekend at the upcoming Miami Grand Prix.

The SF-25’s inability to maintain balance and grip in critical low-speed sections during low-fuel conditions has limited Ferrari’s qualifying performance, with the team only securing a single top-three starting position so far this season. This mechanical weakness is believed to be undermining not only Hamilton’s confidence but also the team’s broader ambitions for 2025.

As the team works to address the car’s performance inconsistency, Hamilton faces the dual challenge of adapting to a completely new environment and helping guide Ferrari through its technical hurdles. Whether he can turn things around in the coming races remains to be seen, but the pressure is clearly mounting as expectations clash with early-season results.