Lewis Hamilton has grown increasingly frustrated with his lackluster results in his first season at Ferrari, which has so far yielded no wins or podium finishes. Dissatisfied with the performance and direction of the team, Hamilton is taking a proactive approach by initiating his own efforts to drive change within Ferrari. Upon arriving at the Belgian Grand Prix, he revealed that he used the summer break to conduct multiple meetings with Ferrari leadership and submitted detailed reports identifying critical areas that need improvement.
Hamilton compared his situation to the struggles of past world champions at Ferrari—like Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso, and Sebastian Vettel—who also failed to deliver consistent success. Determined not to repeat that pattern, Hamilton emphasized that he is challenging the status quo and pushing for innovation and reform. He believes that sticking to familiar methods will only yield the same disappointing results and is therefore advocating for new approaches.
Over the break, Hamilton dedicated time at Ferrari’s headquarters in Italy, meeting with key figures including Ferrari President John Elkann, CEO Benedetto Vigna, and Team Principal Frederic Vasseur. He also held discussions with the technical team, such as Loic Serra, focusing on improvements for the car’s engine and suspension for the next season. In addition to verbal communication, Hamilton submitted structured documents that outlined necessary structural adjustments and highlighted ongoing issues with the current car.
Despite being 40, Hamilton’s best results with Ferrari so far have been three fourth-place finishes. His teammate Charles Leclerc has only slightly outperformed him, managing four podiums, with his top result being a second-place finish in Monaco. Hamilton pointed out that Ferrari’s large and complex organization has many components not functioning at their peak, which he believes is a major reason behind the team’s underperformance. He sees it as his responsibility to challenge decision-makers and demand higher standards throughout the team.
Currently, Ferrari is second in the constructors’ standings but is far behind the dominant McLaren team. Hamilton expressed urgency, noting that he doesn’t have the luxury of time like younger drivers, such as 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli who replaced him at Mercedes. Nonetheless, Hamilton reaffirmed his belief in Ferrari’s potential and his commitment to helping the team reach the top, making it clear that his goal remains to win.
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