When the seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton joined the Ferrari team at the end of the 2024 season, he said he “could not be more excited” and that it had been a “childhood dream”. After a torrid first season driving for the Italian motoring giants, however, many pundits are suggesting that dream has become a nightmare. Hamilton himself has been outspoken about the frustrations he has faced. After the most recent disappointment in Las Vegas (where he qualified in last place for the first time in his Formula 1 career), he stated, “It’s a terrible result. There is nothing positive to take from today.”
At the time of writing, there are just two races left in the 2025 season, at Qatar and finally at Abu Dhabi. Even if the Brit wins both of those races, which is highly unlikely given he’s won none so far this term, he would still be miles behind the leaders, Lando Norris (on 390 points), Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen (both on 366 points). Hamilton is back in sixth position in the standings on just 152 points, 74 behind his teammate Charles Leclerc.
A sixth-place finish in the overall standings would not be Hamilton’s worst ever (he was seventh last year). But he hasn’t made the podium yet this term, and if he fails to do so in either of the final two races, it will be the first season he’s failed to finish in the top three of a race since first taking to the track back in 2007. Are we seeing the petering out of a fantastic career, or is there a way back to glory for one of the greatest F1 drivers ever?
Can Hamilton Rediscover His Winning Ways?
The results of most sports are influenced to a degree by the technology available to the participants. Examples would include the latest energy-efficient running shoes for track or road athletes, or the lightweight, ultra-aerodynamic cycles used in the velodrome. Formula 1, however, takes things to another level compared to those and most other sports. However brilliant a driver is, if the car he’s driving isn’t up to scratch, there’s no way for them to win the Formula 1 title. It’s one of the reasons many non-F1 fans bemoan the sport. Why not give every driver the same cars and find out who really is the best?
Of course, for many, the sport is as much about the constructors as the drivers themselves (Ferrari are fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, as things stand, behind McLaren, Mercedes, and Red Bull). The whole identity of the sport is based around how well the teams design, build and maintain their cars, albeit within very specific parameters. But the fact remains, if your team hasn’t created a competitive car, the chances of winning a race are drastically reduced. And that is the position in which Hamilton finds himself at Ferrari.
The man from Stevenage has another two years on his contract with the Italians after this season, and, based on the information available, it appears unlikely they will suddenly find a way to become competitive in that time. Hamilton has already stated that he’s not looking forward to next season, but there might be hope for him as a regulatory overhaul is due that might give his team the chance to close the gap on the teams ahead of them.
New F1 Regulations in 2026 Give Ferrari Hope
New rules are coming in relating to the cars’ energy systems, aerodynamics and engines, which, if they work as planned, should give the less competitive teams the chance to reset. While it will never be a level playing field as such, a team with Ferrari’s resources should be able to build a car that gives its drivers a fighting chance to compete. There are many ifs and buts at this stage, but Ferrari have reportedly already started testing versions of their new cars, in simulators at least, with both Hamilton and Leclerc giving broadly positive feedback.
Driving a car in a simulator is obviously very different from driving the real thing on a track, and there is a long way to go for the Italian team to create something that could give Hamilton a shot at a record-breaking eighth F1 title. And of course the other teams will not be resting on their laurels and simply waiting for Ferrari to catch up. They will also be working on redesigned cars for 2026. Until the teams start testing their new cars, there will be a large degree of guesswork about which drivers and constructors will be battling it out for supremacy next season. But one thing is for sure: Hamilton will be more than eager to put his nightmare 2025 campaign behind him.