Lewis Hamilton Cancels Personal Plans to Address Ferrari Struggles Ahead of Miami GP
Lewis Hamilton’s highly anticipated move to Ferrari has not started the way many fans had hoped. After five rounds of the 2025 Formula 1 season, the seven-time world champion is still searching for his first main race podium with the Scuderia. Sitting seventh in the drivers’ standings and trailing his teammate Charles Leclerc by 16 points, Hamilton admitted after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix that he is taking drastic steps to improve his performance — including cancelling personal commitments in the lead-up to the Miami Grand Prix.
Hamilton’s transition from Mercedes to Ferrari was one of the most headline-grabbing moves of the off-season, with hopes that the Briton could spearhead a Ferrari resurgence. However, the season so far has been frustrating for the 39-year-old, who has been outqualified by Leclerc in four of the five races and has struggled to extract consistent pace from the SF-25. His only notable achievement this year has been a sprint race win at the Chinese Grand Prix, which offered a glimmer of hope that Hamilton could still contend under the right conditions.
Unfortunately, that momentum did not carry over into the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Hamilton finished a disappointing seventh at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, while Leclerc impressed with a third-place finish — Ferrari’s first main race podium of the season. Following the race, Hamilton did not mince words about the challenges he’s facing.
“Today was a disaster,” Hamilton said bluntly in his post-race interviews. “I had absolutely no pace and I was struggling with the car from the start. I was hoping for a much better outcome. I can’t afford to rest before Miami. I’ve got a lot to figure out and work on, so I’ll be cancelling some plans starting today to focus fully on the job at hand.”
Hamilton’s candid admission reflects a growing sense of urgency. With the Miami Grand Prix featuring another sprint format, there are up to 33 points up for grabs across the weekend. This presents a critical opportunity for Hamilton to not only bounce back but also to significantly reduce the points gap to his teammate and to others ahead of him in the standings — including rookie sensation Kimi Antonelli.
The 18-year-old Antonelli, who replaced Hamilton at Mercedes, has impressed early in the season and currently sits ahead of the veteran driver in the championship. His performances have added another layer of pressure on Hamilton, who is keen to re-establish his dominance and justify Ferrari’s decision to bring him on board.
Ferrari, as a team, is also eager to close the gap to Mercedes in the constructors’ standings. While Red Bull continues to lead comfortably, the battle for second place is heating up, and Ferrari’s mixed results so far haven’t helped their cause. A strong showing from both drivers in Miami could help shift the momentum in their favor.
For Hamilton, however, the priority remains personal improvement and reconnecting with the level of performance that made him a record-breaking champion. Despite his experience, the adaptation to Ferrari’s car and engineering team has proven more challenging than anticipated. The Brit is known for his meticulous preparation and mental resilience, and it appears he’s leaning heavily on those traits as he looks to turn his season around.
“I know what I’m capable of,” Hamilton continued. “It’s about finding the right setup, working closely with the team, and making sure I’m giving them the feedback they need to make the car better. But it also means putting in the extra hours — and that starts now.”
The Miami Grand Prix, with its unique mix of glamour and high-speed competition, could prove to be a turning point. With the added pressure of another sprint weekend and the looming presence of both his teammate and his former team, Hamilton will need to deliver a strong performance to alter the current narrative.
While his start at Ferrari has been far from ideal, history has shown that writing off Lewis Hamilton too early is a risky move. The coming weekend will reveal whether his dedication and changes in preparation can yield the turnaround he and his team so desperately need.
