Crisis at Ferrari: Hamilton’s ‘Handicap’ Sparks Uproar as Vasseur’s Leadership Faces sac…read more
Ferrari’s hopes of ending their long-standing title drought in the 2025 Formula 1 season are rapidly fading as the team finds itself trailing McLaren by a staggering 191 points after just 10 races. This dramatic underperformance has brought both team strategy and driver effectiveness into sharp focus—particularly that of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
After narrowly missing out on the Constructors’ Championship last year by only 14 points, Ferrari entered the current season with strong ambitions. With a new team dynamic led by Fred Vasseur and the high-profile addition of Hamilton from Mercedes, expectations were high. However, the season has been disappointing so far. Ferrari has only secured three podium finishes, all courtesy of Charles Leclerc, while Hamilton has struggled to make a significant impact in the main races.
Hamilton, now 40 years old, has managed a best finish of fourth place in a Grand Prix this season. While he has found some success in the sprint formats, his overall performance has failed to match the hype surrounding his switch from Mercedes. His record over the past three and a half seasons includes just two race wins, casting doubt on his ability to compete consistently at the highest level in his current machinery.
Former F1 driver René Arnoux, who raced for teams like Ferrari, Renault, and Ligier and earned seven victories in 149 starts, has weighed in on the situation. In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Arnoux suggested that Hamilton’s age may now be acting as a disadvantage. He argued that without a dominant car, Hamilton might struggle to match the pace and performance of his younger teammate, Charles Leclerc.
Arnoux pointed out that one of the critical challenges in modern F1 is getting the car’s setup right early in the weekend. Failure to do so often leads to a compromised race result. According to Arnoux, Ferrari consistently struggles in this area, and unless they can overcome these technical difficulties, their championship hopes will remain out of reach.
He also criticized the mindset of the team’s leadership under Vasseur, expressing concern over statements suggesting satisfaction with finishing in fourth or fifth place. Arnoux believes such attitudes reflect a lack of ambition that could be damaging to Ferrari’s legacy and competitive future.
Despite his criticisms, Arnoux expressed a desire to see Ferrari succeed. He emphasized that without immediate and strategic planning for the future—especially the 2026 season—the team risks falling further behind its rivals. As things stand, Ferrari appears to be in a precarious situation, with both internal and external pressure mounting to deliver better results.
In summary, Ferrari’s underwhelming start to the 2025 season has highlighted issues not just with car performance and team strategy, but also with the viability of Hamilton’s move and whether he can still compete at the top. Without a turnaround soon, questions over Ferrari’s direction and Hamilton’s role within the team are likely to intensify.
