When it was announced that Formula 1’s statistical greatest driver of all time was uniting with the sport’s most successful team of all time for 2025 the expectations were high, but 14 races into the season and the Lewis Hamilton-Ferrari partnership may need the new era in 2026 to relight the fire.
While Hamilton produced the second-worst debut in the Scuderia’s history with 10th in Melbourne, the seven-time World Champion quickly put that behind him.
The Briton converted Sprint pole in Shanghai to a dominant first victory in Ferrari red in his second weekend with the team.
Despite such early success, Hamilton only has one other top-three finish in 2025, with third place in the Miami Sprint after a masterful strategy call in changeable conditions, and is therefore yet to stand on a Grand Prix podium in red.
Until F1’s most recent race in Hungary Hamilton had consistently scored points every weekend, yet has missed out on that elusive silverware so far, coming closest at Imola and Silverstone.
In fact, only one driver in the team’s history has had to endure longer without a Ferrari podium, with Didier Peroni having to wait 19 races back in the 1980s.
There have been sparks of the potential of the partnership; however, recent weekends have started to extinguish them as Hamilton’s confidence drops.
A double Q1 exit at Spa preceded a Q2 knockout at one of Hamilton’s most beloved circuits in Hungary, culminating in Hamilton even suggesting Ferrari should replace him.
But why is Hamilton struggling so much with Ferrari, and could F1’s new era in 2026 be a possible last reckoning for the series’ most established name?
Adapting to a new home
Hamilton’s move to Ferrari has seen him have to adapt to a completely new setup, having spent almost 20 years with Mercedes.
The switch to the Italian marque means a complete change of team atmosphere as well as a different team culture, including a difference in language as well.
Hamilton essentially had the team at the Silver Arrows built around him, something that was key to his tremendous success.
It has been clear from the start that Hamilton is pushing for change within the Ferrari team and has been making somewhat cryptic comments about what goes on in the background.
Hamilton divulged to Sky Sports F1 that there are some behind-the-scenes dealings that he is not content with.
“There’s a lot going on in the background that’s not great,” he conceded.
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur opined after the race in Hungary that “Lewis is very demanding, he’s very demanding with the team, with the car, with me.”
“I think he’s also very demanding with himself. It’s the approach from a seven-time champion to be very demanding with everybody and with himself.”
Additionally, there’s the adaptation to a completely new power unit and how the Ferrari engine works compared to the Mercedes one he’d become entuned to after so long.
Meanwhile, thereis the difference in philosophy between Ferrari and Mercedes and how the Italian team have optimised its machine for the ground effect regulations.
The current cars have not suited Hamilton’s late-braking driving style. And while there have been moments of vintage Hamilton, it has mostly been a disappointing era.
A new era and a new hope?
But will the revamped technical regulations on the horizon be Hamilton’s last chance to return to his best and clinch an elusive record-breaking eighth title?
The 2026 F1 cars will return to something more similar to the pre-2022 spec machines, something that should provide Hamilton with an immediate boost.
But should that not come to pass and he is still trailing team-mate Charles Leclerc, Hamilton could elect to not even see out his Ferrari deal and call time on his career.
However, Hamilton has dismissed that his downbeat demeanour in recent weeks is a sign that he is throwing in the towel, a sentiment that is shared elsewhere.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who oversaw Hamilton’s exceptional championship-laden success between 2014 and 2020, believes the Briton has “unfinished business”.
“He kind of never got happy with ground effect cars, in the same way, it beats him,” Wolff told media including Motorsport Week.
“So, he shouldn’t go anywhere. Next year, brand new cars, completely different to drive, new power units that need an intelligent way of managing the energy.”
“If he has a car that’s not giving him the feedback that he wants, and that was the Mercedes of the past few years, and that seems to be the Ferrari, and even worse, then not. But you ask me whether he has it, he definitely has it.”
The summer shutdown has arrived at a crucial time for Hamilton, who admitted there would be some tears during the break as he takes stock.
“Just from a work perspective, integrating into a new culture, into a new team. It’s not gone smoothly in all areas, and it’s been a real battle.”
“I definitely need to get away and recharge. I’m sure there’ll be some tears at some point, and I think that’s really healthy,” he concluded.
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