The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix marked another challenging weekend for Lewis Hamilton, as the seven-time World Champion’s performance left many scratching their heads. Thirty seconds behind his teammate and without a podium finish in sight, Hamilton’s struggles in the 2025 F1 season are baffling even the experts.
Switching gears from a successful tenure with Mercedes, Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was expected to reignite his racing prowess, especially behind the steering wheel of the SF-25. Predictions ran high, with many foreseeing a fierce competition between Hamilton and his teammate Charles Leclerc for the title. However, the narrative took an unexpected turn as McLaren emerged as the frontrunners of the season, overshadowing Ferrari’s ambitions.
Thus far, McLaren has dominated the 2025 championship, with Oscar Piastri seizing three out of five Grand Prix victories, making him the current championship leader. Max Verstappen has managed to break McLaren’s winning streak only once. Despite a brief glimmer of hope when Hamilton secured pole position and victory in the China Sprint, a repeat of that success in the Grand Prix eluded him, leaving Leclerc and other teams like McLaren and Red Bull ahead.
Leclerc has consistently outperformed Hamilton in head-to-head encounters, establishing a significant points lead in the Drivers’ standings. This gap widened notably after the Saudi GP, where Leclerc clinched a podium finish while Hamilton lagged behind in seventh place. Gian Carlo Minardi, a former F1 team owner, expressed his bewilderment at Hamilton’s uncharacteristic performance, noting that Leclerc managed to mask Ferrari’s underlying problems better than Hamilton could.
Hamilton himself has voiced his struggle to pinpoint the issues, stating that no clear solutions are apparent and predicting a challenging continuation to the season. He described his performance as ‘disastrous’ in terms of pace, acknowledging the lack of speed on the track. In search of answers, Hamilton cancelled his post-race plans to return to Ferrari’s headquarters, hoping to gain insights or at least a better understanding of his predicament.
Hamilton’s quest for answers continues as he delves into the intricacies of his new team. While Ferrari faces challenges in catching up to the frontrunners, the situation reveals the unpredictable nature of the sport. The remaining season promises to be a test of resilience and adaptation for the racing legend.
