Lewis Hamilton has shared a pessimistic view of Scuderia Ferrari’s prospects for the remainder of the 2025 Formula 1 season, following a disappointing weekend at the Baku City Circuit. With teams like McLaren and Red Bull introducing recent upgrades, Hamilton believes Ferrari faces significant challenges in keeping pace as it prioritizes development for 2026.
Ferrari’s Struggles at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Despite Ferrari leading practice times early in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend, hopes for a turnaround quickly faded. Hamilton was eliminated in the second round of qualifying, while teammate Charles Leclerc crashed during his initial laps in Q3. On race day, Ferrari’s drivers finished eighth and ninth, with Hamilton attempting late in the race to reclaim eighth place from Leclerc but ultimately failing. Many observers considered the event a continuation of Ferrari’s rough season, though not a complete disaster.
Hamilton Comments on Ferrari’s Developmental Challenges
Speaking after the race, Hamilton expressed frustration over Ferrari’s lack of pace, a recurring issue throughout the season. When asked about Ferrari’s ability to challenge front-running teams, he said, “McLaren’s been ahead all year.”
“We haven’t made any steps to improve, so [we’re] a good couple of steps behind. Red Bull took an upgraded floor, I think, in the last race.”
He noted that Red Bull’s recent upgrades have increased their advantage.
“So they’ve now picked up their pace and [you have] to expect they’re probably going to win more races.”
Addressing Ferrari’s outlook for upcoming races, Hamilton emphasized the importance of qualifying positions and the impact that upgrades could have on the team’s competitiveness.
[If] we qualify better, we’re gonna be in a much better position to race,
I mean, I would give anything for an upgrade, but obviously we don’t have that, we have to focus on next year’s car, so we just have to do better in optimising and execution.
Focus Shifts to 2026 Regulations and Future Prospects
As the 2025 season progresses, many teams, including Ferrari, have shifted their focus toward developing their 2026 cars, which will need to comply with new technical regulations. The choice to concentrate resources on next year’s car leaves limited options for significant improvements this season, making it harder for Ferrari to close the gap to rivals in the immediate term.
Lewis Hamilton’s assessment underscores the uphill battle Ferrari faces as it contends with faster teams like McLaren and Red Bull, both of which have continued to upgrade their current-season cars. The coming months will reveal whether Ferrari can optimize its existing package effectively enough to deliver competitive results before the 2026 rule changes take effect.
