F1 news: Ferrari face pressure as Lewis Hamilton calls 2025 his worst year yet
Ferrari’s 2025 season has been long and far from straightforward, with Lewis Hamilton describing his debut campaign in red as the most difficult of his career.
In this article, Sports News Blitz’s Noah Ngcobo explores the growing pressure around the seven-time champion and the team trying to steady the ship.
A tough start to life in red
Lewis Hamilton arrived at Ferrari with the weight of expectation that comes with a driver of his stature.
However, his debut campaign has unfolded into a difficult journey filled with inconsistency, missed opportunities, and a growing sense of frustration from the seven-time world champion.
His most recent reflections after the Las Vegas Grand Prix brought an unfiltered look into his disappointment, prompting a response from team principal Frederic Vasseur, who continues to back his driver publicly.
A season far from expectations
Hamilton has not yet stood on the Ferrari podium this season, and the struggle has been visible race after race.
Las Vegas proved to be a particularly painful outing. He qualified last, something that had never occurred for pace-related reasons in his 19-year career. His finish of tenth on the circuit later became eighth once McLaren suffered disqualifications.
Even with the late lift in position, Hamilton could not hide his displeasure with his own performance and said he felt terrible.
He went as far as calling the year the worst season he has experienced.
The driver admitted that no matter how much effort he puts in, the situation seems to deteriorate rather than improve.
He expressed doubt about Ferrari closing the gap for second in the Constructors’ Championship and even admitted he was not looking forward to next season under the current trajectory.
Vasseur offers context and calls for patience
Frederic Vasseur, while aware of the emotional weight behind Hamilton's words, believes there is more to evaluate than the raw results.
The Ferrari boss explained that if not for penalties in recent races, Hamilton had the pace to fight for a podium finish.
Vasseur noted that the team does not require a complete overhaul. Instead, he believes that Ferrari must focus on building a smooth weekend and improving track operations.
Vasseur acknowledged Hamilton's frustration yet urged calm inside the team.
He said that immediate post-race comments often come from adrenaline and disappointment. He also insisted that he values honesty from his drivers rather than polished answers that hide deeper issues.
Hearing frustration, in his view, is more productive than hearing hollow praise when the performance is clearly lacking.
The emotional rollercoaster of a champion
Hamilton has been candid throughout the season.
Earlier in Hungary, he described himself as useless after qualifying well below expectations and even suggested Ferrari might need a different driver. A crash in Sao Paulo had him describing his situation as a nightmare.
Ferrari chairman John Elkann later suggested that drivers should speak less and focus more on performing.
Despite this pressure from above, Vasseur continues to defend Hamilton's emotional transparency.
The team principal explained that the true evaluation is not made in the heat of the broadcast interviews.
Instead, progress is measured by how Hamilton works with the team once the cameras are off and the dust has settled. Behind-the-scenes effort is what matters most, in Vasseur's view.
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Signs of pace beneath the struggle
Despite the statistical slide in standings, Vasseur believes that Hamilton has shown promising speed during several weekends.
He pointed to Mexico and Austin, where the driver's pure performance was strong even if the results did not reflect it.
Ferrari have failed to piece together clean race weekends, and these missteps have had a significant impact on their points.
Yet within this difficult stretch, there are glimpses of hope. Hamilton's speed remains intact, his determination has not faded, and Vasseur remains convinced that success is possible if execution and preparation come together.
Ferrari now enter the closing stretch of the season with a need to rebuild momentum and silence the doubt that has grown around one of the most decorated racers the sport has ever seen.
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