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Nico Rosberg Backs Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari Struggles: “The Car Is Not Driveable”

In a striking show of support, 2016 Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg has come to the defense of his former teammate and long-time rival Lewis Hamilton, confirming the British driver’s criticism of Ferrari’s 2025 challenger, the SF-25. The remarks came after a frustrating Friday practice session at the Spanish Grand Prix, where Hamilton described the car over team radio as “not driveable.”

Hamilton, who made the high-profile switch from Mercedes to Ferrari for the 2025 season, has endured a rocky start with the Scuderia. Despite the fanfare around his move, he has yet to achieve a podium finish and continues to struggle with the handling and consistency of the SF-25. His P11 result in FP2 at the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya added further pressure to what has already been a tense debut year in red.

Rosberg, now a respected pundit with Sky Sports F1, offered a rare glimpse of agreement with his former teammate, validating Hamilton’s complaints with his own observations from trackside.

“I was out there watching Lewis and Charles [Leclerc] closely, and I can confirm what Lewis is saying  that Ferrari is not driveable,” said Rosberg. “It had more understeer than the others, and also more snap oversteer. There was a bit more of everything going on. It just looks like a very nervous car.”

Rosberg’s analysis painted a picture of a Ferrari that lacks balance and predictability — two crucial elements for a driver’s confidence. Both Hamilton and Leclerc appeared to be fighting their machines rather than extracting peak performance from them.

“Poor Lewis,” Rosberg added with sympathy. “That car is a handful.”

Despite acknowledging the SF-25’s poor behavior on shorter runs, Rosberg noted that Ferrari appeared more competitive during long-run simulations, suggesting the team could still be a factor in race strategy. However, that small encouragement may do little to ease the growing frustration within Hamilton’s camp.

Adding further intrigue, Rosberg also broached a sensitive topic  Hamilton’s potential decline in performance due to age. While he acknowledged Hamilton’s legendary status and accomplishments, Rosberg hinted that the 39-year-old may no longer be at his absolute peak.

“Even if he’s the greatest of all time, at some point you’re going to get a little bit slower, and that’s age-related,” he said. “It could be that what we’re seeing now — the struggles to adapt, the mistakes, the lower qualifying — is part of that curve.”

Hamilton has brushed off similar suggestions before, attributing recent issues solely to machinery and setup rather than any personal downturn. But with Ferrari continuing to trail rivals like McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes in performance and consistency, the scrutiny is intensifying.

As the weekend continues at the Spanish Grand Prix, all eyes will be on Hamilton and Ferrari to see if they can unlock more performance ahead of qualifying and Sunday’s race. For now, though, Hamilton has at least one vocal ally in the paddock — a surprising turn, given their storied past