F1 2025 Recap: Life at Ferrari Becomes a “Nightmare” for Lewis Hamilton

The 2025 Formula 1 season was supposed to be the stuff of fairytales—the most successful driver in history joining the sport’s most iconic team. Instead, Lewis Hamilton’s debut year in Maranello red has been described by the man himself as a “nightmare,” marking the statistical low point of a legendary 19-year career.

As the curtain falls on the 2025 season in Abu Dhabi, the numbers tell a story of struggle that few saw coming. For the first time since his debut in 2007, Hamilton finished a full season without a single Grand Prix podium.

A Statistical “Nadir”

The “dream move” quickly soured as Hamilton struggled to adapt to the SF-25 and the cultural shifts of the Italian outfit. His performance relative to teammate Charles Leclerc became a glaring headline throughout the year.

2025 Performance Breakdown

The season reached its breaking point during the São Paulo Grand Prix, where a Q1 exit was followed by a mid-race retirement. A visibly shaken Hamilton told reporters, “This is a nightmare I’ve been living in for a while. The flip between the dream of driving for this amazing team and the results we’ve had… it’s challenging.”

Why the Dream Soured

Several factors contributed to Hamilton’s difficult transition, turning what should have been a victory lap into a recovery mission:

• The “Ground Effect” Wall: Hamilton admitted the current generation of ground-effect cars remains “the worst” for his specific driving style. He struggled with a knife-edge rear end and inconsistent balance that Leclerc seemed better equipped to handle.

• Technical Friction: Moving from Mercedes’ Carbon Industrie brakes to Ferrari’s Brembo setup proved to be a significant hurdle. Hamilton’s signature aggressive braking style didn’t “gel” with the new hardware.

• Communication Gaps: The stilted radio exchanges between Hamilton and race engineer Riccardo Adami became social media fodder. Replacing the long-standing “Bono” (Peter Bonnington) connection proved more difficult than anticipated.

• Development Dead-End: Ferrari’s gamble on a complete suspension change for 2025 backfired. By mid-season, the team pivoted resources toward the 2026 regulation reset, leaving Hamilton to fight with an “unupgradable” car.

Looking Toward 2026

Despite the “unbearable anger and rage” Hamilton expressed after a crash in Abu Dhabi practice, he remains committed. With a contract that runs through 2026 (and a recently revealed option for 2027), the focus has already shifted to the massive rule changes coming in two years.

Team Principal Fred Vasseur remains a staunch defender of the seven-time champion, insisting that the “structural adjustments” Hamilton has recommended are already being implemented behind the scenes.

“Tomorrow, I’ll get back up. I’ll keep training, I’ll keep working with the team… I know we have better times ahead.” — Lewis Hamilton