Lewis Hamilton called his Ferrari SF-25
“the most difficult car I’ve driven”
in wet weather during the British Grand Prix, where he faced significant handling problems. The race, held at Silverstone Circuit, saw Hamilton finish fourth after struggling with stability and control amid rainy conditions.
Despite being a track where Hamilton has enjoyed success in the past, the wet surface and car performance limited his ability to challenge for a podium. After his last pit stop, Hamilton lost control of the car, missing an opportunity to improve his position.
Hamilton’s Vision for Ferrari SF-25 Enhancements
Following the race, Hamilton shared specific ideas to improve the Ferrari SF-25’s performance in challenging conditions. He emphasized the need for a more stable vehicle that handles well at low speeds, which he regards as critical for increased confidence and competitiveness.
“A car that turns at low speed. Just a more stable car,”
Hamilton said, highlighting the importance of balance throughout the season. Stability issues have been a shared concern for both Hamilton and his teammate Charles Leclerc, restricting their capacity to fully exploit the car’s power and attack aggressively.
Insights from Ferrari’s Austria Update and Hamilton’s Progress
There is optimism within Ferrari following performance updates introduced at the Austrian Grand Prix. Hamilton acknowledged improvements during race weekends but said there is still room to extract more from qualifying and race conditions.
“I think we were looking great through this weekend,”
Hamilton stated.
“In practice, we were always right up there. Still weren’t able to fully extract everything in quali and then the race is a little bit harder, so that’s where I want to get stronger.”
He also explained that pressure during the race and tire degradation contributed to the difficulties he faced.
“I was put under a lot of pressure. I had a chance on Lando into Turn 15, but they were just perfect,”
Hamilton said.
“After that, I struggled to keep up. The tyres dropped off massively. The car was unbelievably tricky to drive.”
Reflecting on his wet weather experience, Hamilton highlighted the steep learning curve:
“It’s only my second time driving in the wet in this car. I can’t even express to you how hard it is. It’s not a car that likes those conditions.”
Plans to Collaborate on Next Year’s Car Development
Hamilton revealed his intention to work closely with Ferrari engineers to influence the design of their 2026 Formula One challenger. He believes some elements from the SF-25 can be carried over and improved upon in the next car.
“But as I said, having lots of data to take from this. For me, I might just sit down with the people that are designing the car for next year because there’s elements of this car that can go into the following year,”
Hamilton said.
Charles Leclerc Shares Ferrari Upgrade Expectations
Teammate Charles Leclerc expressed a similar desire for performance gains from upcoming Ferrari upgrades intended to address specific weaknesses discovered during the season. He described the upgrades as targeting improvement in certain corners, which could be pivotal in boosting the car’s competitiveness.
“I won’t go too much into detail, but again, I think there are some weaknesses; we’ve identified them, and we’ll try and fix them as soon as possible,”
Leclerc said, signaling Ferrari’s commitment to rapid development progress.
Regarding the timing of these improvements, Leclerc noted,
“It’s still early days, but we’ll see how it goes. It’s still two weeks. I know that everybody’s pushing very hard production-wise, to try and give us upgrades as soon as possible. If they are here, I hope it can help us to do a significant step.”
Looking Ahead: Ferrari’s Quest for Stability and Speed
Lewis Hamilton’s candid assessment of the SF-25’s wet-weather shortcomings, alongside Leclerc’s acknowledgment of ongoing development, highlights Ferrari’s urgent need for improvements as the season continues. The team is focused on resolving stability issues that hamper driver confidence and limit overall pace.
With plans to integrate insights gained this year into next year’s car design, Hamilton and Ferrari are aiming for stronger reliability and performance across varying track conditions. These efforts will be crucial as the team vies to close the gap with leading competitors in the highly competitive 2024 Formula 1 championship.
