Hamilton identifies major Ferrari issues ‘Something is…read more
Lewis Hamilton has opened up about a significant issue affecting his Ferrari SF-25, one he believes is hampering his performance and overall competitiveness.
The seven-time Formula 1 world champion, who made the high-profile switch from Mercedes to Ferrari for the 2025 season, is still getting to grips with the nuances of his new car and team environment. However, his early results suggest that the adaptation has not been entirely smooth.
In head-to-head race finishes so far this season, Hamilton trails teammate Charles Leclerc 0-2. He also finished behind the Monégasque driver at the Chinese Grand Prix, although both Ferrari drivers were later disqualified due to technical irregularities. Despite that, Hamilton managed to secure a bright spot in Shanghai, clinching pole position and going on to win the Sprint Race — his first victory in Ferrari colors.
Still, the broader picture tells a more concerning story. Hamilton has, on average, been around two-tenths of a second slower than Leclerc during qualifying sessions. His difficulties came to the fore again at the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, where he crossed the finish line 13 seconds and three positions behind Leclerc, who secured fourth place.
Following the race in Suzuka, Hamilton admitted that his car is plagued by a fundamental problem that has persisted over the last few races. Although he didn’t provide in-depth technical details, he emphasized that the team has identified the issue and is actively working on a solution.
“I gave everything I had out there today,” Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. “Overall, though, we’re still lacking performance compared to the cars ahead of us — Mercedes, McLaren, and obviously Red Bull. It’s clear we’ve got some catching up to do.”
Hamilton revealed that a specific component on his SF-25 has been underperforming over the last three race weekends, and it’s costing him valuable lap time.
“We’ve found something on the car that hasn’t been working properly,” he explained. “It’s been like this for three races now, and it’s frustrating because I’m losing just over a tenth per lap because of it. That’s a lot in F1 terms, especially during qualifying, where every fraction counts.”
The issue seems to have affected Hamilton’s ability to extract maximum performance from the tyres, something he says has made qualifying especially challenging.
“I just haven’t been able to get the tyres into the right window. It’s like there’s something off, something going on. The team has noticed it too, but right now, they’re not entirely sure what’s causing it. We’re hoping the upgrade package coming for the next race in Bahrain will address it.”
Ferrari is reportedly working on a new component specifically designed to eliminate the performance discrepancy between the two SF-25s. According to Hamilton, the team is committed to ensuring both drivers are operating on equal footing moving forward.
“Hopefully, when the new part arrives, it’ll fix the issue and bring things back to balance across both cars,” he said. “That’s the goal, and everyone’s working hard to make it happen.”
Despite the underlying problem, Hamilton remains optimistic and relatively satisfied with his race day performances, given the circumstances.
“Taking everything into account, I’m fairly happy with how I’ve raced,” he added. “It’s not where I want to be, obviously, but considering what I’ve been dealing with, it could’ve been worse.”
The Briton’s transition to Ferrari was one of the most anticipated moves in recent F1 history. Many expected fireworks as Hamilton teamed up with Leclerc in one of the sport’s most iconic teams. While the early stages have been rocky, Hamilton’s experience, combined with Ferrari’s intent to fix the car’s flaws, suggests there is potential for improvement in the near future.
As the F1 calendar heads to Bahrain next, all eyes will be on Ferrari to see whether the upcoming upgrade package can solve the mystery and get Hamilton back in the mix at the front of the grid. For now, Hamilton is doing what he can — digging deep and staying focused as he awaits a fix to unlock his true pace in red.
