Lewis Hamilton in Heated Exchange as Tensions Rise at F… read more
Lewis Hamilton’s highly anticipated move to Ferrari appears to be unraveling at a startling pace, as growing frustration, underwhelming performances, and tense radio exchanges paint a grim picture for the seven-time world champion. Just months into his debut season with the Scuderia, Hamilton finds himself at a crossroads, with optimism fading and internal friction bubbling to the surface.
Hamilton, who departed Mercedes after a record-breaking 12-year tenure, joined Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season in what many heralded as a fairytale transfer. The British driver described the move as the realization of a childhood dream — donning the iconic red overalls of Formula 1’s most storied team. But the dream is quickly veering into a nightmare, plagued by subpar results and rising discontent.
The tipping point came at the 2025 Miami Grand Prix, where Hamilton finished in a disappointing eighth place after starting 12th on the grid. While the result was an improvement in positions, it was far from satisfactory for a driver of Hamilton’s pedigree and ambitions. Sky Sport Italy pundit Leo Turrini gave a blunt assessment of Hamilton’s weekend performance, rating him a modest 6 out of 10. “Starts twelfth, finishes eighth,” Turrini noted. “The rest is a frustration that he doesn’t even hide anymore. Honeymoon never started with the Lady in Red.”
Indeed, the metaphorical honeymoon phase between Hamilton and Ferrari seems to have ended before it even began. Miami’s race was not just another tough result but also the scene of a heated exchange between Hamilton and his race engineer, Riccardo Adami. As the race entered its final stages, Hamilton, running on fresher and faster tyres, pressed the team to allow him to pass teammate Charles Leclerc in a bid to chase down Kimi Antonelli for sixth place.
Though the team eventually allowed the switch, it came after several laps of deliberation — by which point Hamilton had already spent considerable time in Leclerc’s dirty air, hampering his charge. The delay prompted a biting response from the British driver. When informed by Adami that the cars were being swapped, Hamilton sarcastically quipped, “Have a tea break while you’re at it!”
The friction didn’t end there. Later in the race, Hamilton was instructed to yield the position back to Leclerc, a request that further fueled his irritation. Adami reminded him of Carlos Sainz closing in from behind, to which Hamilton retorted, “Do you want me to let him through as well?”
Though Hamilton attempted to downplay the tension in post-race interviews, the exasperation was evident in both his words and tone. He acknowledged the difficulty of the season so far but maintained that he remained committed to turning things around with the Maranello-based outfit.
However, the results tell a stark story. In six races this season, Hamilton has managed just one top-five finish and currently sits seventh in the drivers’ standings — two spots behind his teammate Leclerc. The performance gap between the two drivers is growing increasingly conspicuous, and Hamilton’s discomfort is becoming harder to mask.
Adding insult to injury is the exceptional form of Hamilton’s replacement at Mercedes, teenage sensation Kimi Antonelli. The 18-year-old has defied expectations and made an immediate impact, consistently finishing ahead of Hamilton and even securing a sixth-place finish in Miami. Compounding matters further is the continued rise of George Russell, Hamilton’s former Mercedes teammate, who notched his fourth podium finish of the 2025 campaign last Sunday. Their success starkly contrasts with Hamilton’s struggles and underscores the growing narrative that the Briton may have misjudged the timing or trajectory of his career move.
Behind the scenes, tension appears to be mounting within Ferrari as well. Team principal Frédéric Vasseur has remained publicly supportive of Hamilton but is reportedly concerned about the chemistry within the garage. The communication breakdown witnessed in Miami has only intensified speculation that all is not well behind closed doors.
Adding a twist to the drama, former Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who remains close to Hamilton, offered a cryptic but sharp comment when asked about the situation in Miami. “Sometimes change looks better from the outside,” Wolff remarked. “But reality is the ultimate decider.” When pressed further, he refused to elaborate but suggested that Hamilton would have been “treated differently” under Mercedes’ command structure — a subtle yet pointed dig at Ferrari’s handling of the situation.
As the F1 calendar moves towards the European leg of the season, all eyes will be on Hamilton and Ferrari. Can the partnership rediscover its footing and begin delivering the results both parties hoped for, or will the move be remembered as a glorious misfire for one of the sport’s most celebrated figures?
For now, the fairy tale has been put on hold. What started with fanfare and high hopes is now mired in tension, underperformance, and a growing sense that time may be running out for Hamilton to add an eighth world title to his glittering legacy.
