Deep Analysis of Lewis Hamilton’s Performance at Ferrari in the First Half of the 2025 F1 Season

Lewis Hamilton’s transition to Ferrari for the 2025 Formula 1 season marked a significant shift in his illustrious career. As a seven-time world champion and the sport’s most successful driver in terms of wins and pole positions, his move to the iconic Scuderia Ferrari generated immense excitement. However, the first half of the 2025 season, covering races from March to July, has been a period of adaptation rather than dominance. As of mid-July 2025, Hamilton is positioned 6th in the Drivers’ Championship with 103 points, trailing his teammate Charles Leclerc by 28 points. This analysis delves into his performance, highlighting key achievements, challenges, comparisons with his teammate and rivals, and the outlook for the remainder of the season.

Championship Standing and Points

Hamilton currently holds 6th place in the Drivers’ Championship with 103 points, just behind teammate Charles Leclerc, who is in 5th. This places him in the midfield, behind drivers from top teams like McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes. Ferrari, as a team, is second in the Constructors’ Championship, but with nearly half the points of leaders McLaren, indicating a performance gap that has affected both drivers.

Aspect	Details
Championship Position	6th, 103 points, 28 points behind Charles Leclerc (5th)
Team Standing	Ferrari second in Constructors’ Championship, behind McLaren
Points Consistency	Scored points in every race except disqualification in China

Race-by-Race Performance

The first half of the 2025 season included approximately 12 races, with the British Grand Prix (July 6, 2025) marking a key point before the summer break. Below is a summary of Hamilton’s notable performances based on available data:

• Australian Grand Prix (March 16): Specific results are not detailed, but Hamilton likely finished in the lower half of the top 10, consistent with his early-season struggles.
• Chinese Grand Prix (April 20): Hamilton won the sprint race from pole, showcasing his ability to extract performance from the SF-25 in a shorter format. However, he was disqualified from the main Grand Prix, resulting in no points.
• Emilia Romagna Grand Prix (Imola, May 25): Hamilton achieved a 4th-place finish, marking his first significant result of the season.
• Monaco Grand Prix (June 8): He qualified 4th but faced a 3-place grid penalty due to radio miscommunication, impacting his race result.
• Canadian Grand Prix (June 22): Floor damage after hitting a groundhog cost him approximately 0.5 seconds per lap, limiting his competitiveness.
• Spanish Grand Prix (June 29): Strategic errors, including being undercut by Mercedes, resulted in a lower finish.
• Austrian Grand Prix (June 29): Hamilton qualified 4th and finished 4th, benefiting from Ferrari’s first major upgrades since Bahrain.
• British Grand Prix (July 6): Another 4th-place finish, showing consistency at a track where Hamilton has historically excelled.
• Miami Grand Prix (May 18): Hamilton finished 3rd in the sprint race, capitalizing on a well-timed strategy after a late safety car period.

Hamilton’s best Grand Prix finishes have been 4th place, achieved in Imola, Austria, and Britain, indicating he has been competitive but unable to break into the podium positions. His sprint race win in China remains his only victory of the season so far.

Qualifying Performance

Qualifying has been a challenging area for Hamilton, with teammate Charles Leclerc out-qualifying him 9-4 across the first half of the season. Leclerc’s average advantage in qualifying is 0.151 seconds. However, Hamilton has shown improvement:

• Early Season (First 5 Races): Leclerc out-qualified Hamilton by an average of 0.227 seconds.
• Later Races (Subsequent 6 Races): The gap narrowed to 0.087 seconds, with Hamilton qualifying 4th in Monaco and Austria and 5th in two other races.
• Best Qualifying Positions: Hamilton’s best grid slots were 4th in Monaco and Austria, while Leclerc achieved 2nd in both races.

Ferrari’s overall qualifying pace lags behind McLaren by an average of 0.393 seconds per lap among the top four teams, highlighting the SF-25’s limitations.

Challenges Faced

Hamilton’s transition to Ferrari has been marked by several challenges:

• Adaptation to Ferrari’s Operations: After 12 years with Mercedes, Hamilton has needed time to adjust to Ferrari’s team dynamics and car setup processes. He has described the SF-25 as “unbelievably tricky to drive,” particularly due to the ground effect regulations introduced in recent years.
• Technical Issues:
  • In Canada, hitting a groundhog caused floor damage, costing 0.5 seconds per lap.
  • In Austria, telemetry data revealed Ferrari lost 0.5 seconds in a single corner, underscoring the car’s performance deficits.
• Strategic Missteps:
  • A radio miscommunication in Monaco led to a 3-place grid penalty, affecting his starting position.
  • In Spain, Ferrari’s strategy was outmaneuvered by Mercedes, resulting in Hamilton being undercut and losing positions.
• Car Performance: The SF-25 struggles with consistent balance, low-speed turn-in, and stability, particularly in wet conditions. Hamilton has noted these weaknesses and is working with engineers to address them.
• Team Expectations: Pre-season optimism was high, with Ferrari coming off a strong 2024 season. However, the team has not met its goal of fighting for the championship, with McLaren establishing a significant lead.

Comparison with Teammate and Rivals

• Charles Leclerc:
  • Leclerc has been the stronger performer, out-qualifying Hamilton in most races and leading him by 28 points in the championship.
  • Despite this, Hamilton has closed the gap in qualifying pace and remains competitive in races, with both drivers achieving similar best finishes (4th in Grand Prix races).
• Top Teams:
  • Ferrari trails McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes in car performance. McLaren’s dominance is evident, with drivers like Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris frequently finishing ahead of Ferrari.
  • Hamilton’s results place him in the midfield, competing with drivers from these top teams but rarely challenging for podiums.
• Midfield Battle:
  • Hamilton’s consistent points finishes (except in China) show he is a strong contender in the midfield, but Ferrari’s car limitations prevent him from consistently matching the pace of the leading teams.

Team Performance

Ferrari is second in the Constructors’ Championship, but the gap to McLaren is significant, with Ferrari holding nearly half the points of the leaders. After the Chinese Grand Prix, Ferrari was 60 points behind Red Bull and 40 points behind Mercedes, but recent races have shown recovery. The introduction of upgrades in Austria, with more expected, signals Ferrari’s intent to improve competitiveness.

Team principal Frederic Vasseur has defended the team’s performance, insisting the car is better than recent results suggest. However, media criticism has highlighted Ferrari’s struggles, labeling them the “most disappointing team” in some analyses.

Progress and Future Outlook

Despite the challenges, Hamilton and Ferrari have shown signs of progress:

• Recent Improvements:
  • Hamilton’s performance improved after a difficult start, with 4th-place finishes in Imola, Austria, and Britain.
  • Qualifying pace has become more competitive, with Hamilton closing the gap to Leclerc.
  • Ferrari’s upgrades in Austria contributed to their best qualifying result of the season, with Leclerc in 2nd and Hamilton in 4th.
• Focus on 2026:
  • Hamilton is already collaborating with Ferrari on the 2026 car, particularly to address weaknesses in wet weather performance.
  • The 2026 season will introduce new regulations, and Ferrari is prioritizing development to be competitive under the new rules.
• Hamilton’s Perspective:
  • Hamilton views the first half as an adaptation period, acknowledging that neither he nor the car has performed at their best.
  • He remains optimistic, citing internal progress and data collection that will inform future improvements.
  • He is actively working with engineers to refine the SF-25’s setup, focusing on balance and stability.

Conclusion

Lewis Hamilton’s first half of the 2025 season at Ferrari has been a period of adjustment marked by both challenges and progress. His sprint race win in China and 4th-place finishes in Imola, Austria, and Britain highlight his potential, but technical issues, strategic errors, and the SF-25’s limitations have prevented consistent podium challenges. Sitting 6th in the Drivers’ Championship with 103 points, Hamilton trails teammate Charles Leclerc and the leading drivers from McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes.

Ferrari’s position as second in the Constructors’ Championship reflects a competitive but underperforming team compared to expectations. Recent upgrades and Hamilton’s improving form suggest potential for better results in the second half of the season. Looking ahead, Hamilton’s focus on 2026 and his collaboration with Ferrari’s engineering team indicate a long-term strategy to return to championship contention. While the first half of 2025 has not met the high expectations set by his move to Ferrari, it has laid the groundwork for future success.

Sources

• BBC Sport: Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari: What has gone wrong so far?
• PlanetF1: Lewis Hamilton gives half-season verdict
• Formula1.com: 2025 Drivers’ Standings
• Sky Sports: F1 Championship Standings
• Reuters: Hamilton hails ‘world class’ Ferrari performance
• The Athletic: How much is Lewis Hamilton really struggling at Ferrari?