Former F1 world champion Nigel Mansell has expressed concerns that Ferrari has lost a crucial edge during the winter break before Lewis Hamilton joined the team for the 2025 season. Hamilton, who left Mercedes after a 12-year tenure filled with six championship titles, hoped to revive his career with the Scuderia but has faced ongoing difficulties this year. Despite reaching the midpoint of the 2025 season, the 40-year-old driver has not yet reached the podium in a Ferrari car.
Mansell himself has first-hand experience with Ferrari, having raced for the team during the 1989 and 1990 seasons before returning to Williams, where he ultimately captured the 1992 championship. This weekend, Mansell attended the prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed at the historic Goodwood Estate, joining an assembly of past F1 champions to celebrate the sport’s heritage.
Insights from Goodwood Festival and Mansell’s Hope for Ferrari’s Revival
At the festival, Mansell drove his championship-winning Williams FW14B and a restored FW11, while also participating in a commemorative balcony event honoring Formula 1’s legacy. When asked about Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari, Mansell praised the seven-time world champion and expressed optimism despite Ferrari’s struggles.
“I think it’s fantastic, he earns in one year what I got, well, I needed another ten years to earn!”
Mansell remarked, adding,
“No, Lewis is fantastic, a great world champion, and I wish him and Ferrari well.”
However, Mansell did not shy away from highlighting Ferrari’s apparent decline compared to last season. He commented,
“I just wish Ferrari would get something back that they had last year, because they should be competing at the top, and they’ve lost something this winter,”
—Nigel Mansell, Former F1 World Champion
Last year, Ferrari secured multiple podium finishes with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, including three double podiums. In contrast, the current Ferrari lineup, featuring Hamilton and his teammate, has managed only a single sprint race victory in China as a notable highlight so far this year.
Hamilton Looks Ahead to 2026 After Difficult 2025 Campaign
Amid Ferrari’s ongoing difficulties, Hamilton has begun focusing on the future, signaling that he is already contemplating the 2026 season. He acknowledged that the current setbacks have clarified what he does not want in the next car design, hinting that the upcoming vehicle will incorporate more of his personal input and driving style, or “DNA.”
The struggles of Lewis Hamilton Ferrari struggle 2025 reflect broader challenges for the Scuderia, which has yet to recapture the consistency it showed before Hamilton’s arrival. The coming months will be critical in determining whether Ferrari can regain its status among F1’s elite teams as the championship progresses toward its final stages.
