Lewis Hamilton has pointed out a key issue with Ferrari’s 2025 Formula 1 car that he believes is preventing the team from reaching its full potential. The seven-time world champion, who made the high-profile switch from Mercedes to Ferrari this season, is still adjusting to the SF-25 chassis and has not yet secured a podium finish for the Scuderia. Despite some promising signs, the adaptation process has been challenging after spending over a decade with Mercedes.
One of the initial technical aspects Hamilton highlighted was the unfamiliar engine braking system used by Ferrari, something he hadn’t experienced in his time at Mercedes. Nonetheless, Hamilton has shown signs of progress, particularly by improving his qualifying performances. In recent races, he has out-qualified his teammate Charles Leclerc three times in the last four outings, and even came close in Austria, showing growing confidence behind the wheel.
Ferrari is currently working on upgrades to the car’s rear suspension in an effort to tackle ride height limitations. These updates are aimed at allowing the drivers to lower the car’s setup and enhance ground effect performance, a crucial factor in gaining downforce and stability. It’s a step Hamilton welcomes as he continues searching for improvements to match Ferrari’s top rivals.
Beyond the technical tweaks, Hamilton specifically addressed one persistent issue: low-speed understeer. According to him, this characteristic forces drivers to push harder than they should to make up for lost time, which results in an unpredictable and difficult-to-control car. This makes it harder to extract consistent performance, even though the car shows comparable pace to front-running competitors in raw data.
Hamilton emphasized that Ferrari’s current pace is not far off the leaders, but they are pushing the limits just to stay competitive, which can make the car feel unstable and sensitive. He believes that resolving the understeer issue will allow the team to unlock more performance without overdriving, enabling both him and Leclerc to challenge more effectively at the front of the grid.
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