At the heart of the 2025 Formula 1 season, Lewis Hamilton Ferrari struggles have sparked widespread debate, as former Ferrari engineer Luigi Mazzola asserts the team carries much of the responsibility for the lackluster results. Despite joining Formula 1’s most storied team with high hopes, Hamilton ended the season winless, far from contention, and with lingering questions about the Maranello squad’s ability to harness his skills.
Disappointing Results in 2025
Lewis Hamilton did not secure a single podium finish in his debut Ferrari season, finishing sixth in the drivers’ standings—well behind his teammate Charles Leclerc. Ferrari’s SF-25 proved unreliable and inconsistent throughout the year, preventing both drivers from mounting any real challenge for race wins or titles. The Italian outfit’s inability to deliver a competitive car left the seven-time world champion facing one of the toughest seasons of his career.
Team Dynamics and Communication Challenges
The on-track difficulties were compounded by Hamilton’s reported struggles to form strong working relationships with crucial Ferrari staff, notably his race engineer Riccardo Adami. Despite a recent ‘positive dinner’ which led to Adami being confirmed in his role for 2026, Hamilton’s adjustment to the team’s culture and systems appeared strained. This dynamic contributed to the sense of unease and lack of progress in adapting the car to Hamilton’s driving style.
Engineer Luigi Mazzola Defends Hamilton
Luigi Mazzola, who supported Michael Schumacher during Ferrari’s golden era, weighed in on the situation, voicing skepticism about placing the blame solely on the British driver.
“I don’t put all the blame on Hamilton,”
Mazzola said to NewsF1.it, emphasizing that the team’s inability to understand and accommodate Hamilton’s approach over the course of 24 races was a significant factor.
“What is all that stuff when he’s in the car? A driver isolates himself and goes in peace when he has a car he can’t drive. So this is what leaves me a bit perplexed, meaning that I don’t even blame the race engineer, who is under heavy scrutiny, because I don’t know how much freedom the race engineer has to decide what to do with the car.”
Mazzola suggested that the team’s structure and lack of adaptability may have been at the core of Ferrari’s continuing difficulties, with specific reference to the role of race engineer Riccardo Adami and the limitations he may face within the organization’s technical hierarchy.
Looking Ahead: Hopes for 2026
With a disappointing season behind him, Hamilton is pinning his hopes on the sweeping regulation changes set to be introduced in 2026. Ferrari could benefit from a level playing field, as a new breed of race cars offers another chance to optimize machinery to Hamilton’s world-champion abilities. Since the start of Formula 1’s ground effect era, even an elite driver like Hamilton managed only two race wins in four full seasons—a stark contrast to his earlier dominance.
Despite these setbacks, Hamilton remains one of the sport’s most decorated competitors, holding 105 grand prix victories and sharing the record for most drivers’ titles at seven. As he targets further success with Ferrari, the coming seasons will be a major test for both Hamilton and the Maranello-based team. If Ferrari can finally deliver a consistently competitive car, there could be brighter days ahead for both the legendary British driver and the iconic Italian outfit.
