Lewis Hamilton‘s Ferrari debut has been nothing short of a nightmare. The 40-year-old was expected to return the Italian constructor to its lost glory in Formula 1. However, Hamilton’s performance in the first five races has remained extremely mediocre. Rumors have emerged that the seven-time champion could be seeking an early retirement from the team. Former Red Bull driver Karun Chandhok has voiced his concerns about Hamilton’s troubling stint at Ferrari.
Despite the initial optimism surrounding Ferrari’s chassis, Hamilton secured only a sprint race win in China. He has encountered significant challenges, with his teammate Charles Leclerc consistently outpacing him. Many observers believe that the 40-year-old may be on the brink of an early departure from the Italian outfit if the team’s performance does not improve soon. Chandhok emphasized the ‘worries’ regarding Hamilton’s promising, yet ultimately isolated, performance.
Chandhok described Hamilton’s sprint win in China as an ‘outlier,’ suggesting that the Briton may struggle to replicate a similar performance in the upcoming races. While there may be some truth in Chandhok’s statement, the 40-year-old is diligently striving to perform well in a struggling car. The 2025 season has only recently begun, and it could be premature to dismiss the seven-time champion’s chances of success just yet.
The worry for me is that it [China sprint performance] is now becoming the outlier,
Chandhok stated, expressing his concerns about Hamilton’s declining performance. He recalled how, during the Australian Grand Prix, the Briton was merely two-tenths off Leclerc’s time; however, since then, Hamilton’s performance has progressively deteriorated, leaving him lagging not only behind the leaders but also struggling against his Monegasque teammate.
The trend is the worry for me. In Australia, Lewis was [two-tenths] off Charles. In Japan, it became three-tenths. In Bahrain it became .59. In Saudi, it became over six-tenths,
Chandhok noted, illustrating Hamilton’s worsening situation. So far this season, Hamilton has yet to achieve a podium finish that would validate his Ferrari move. Nonetheless, he continues to remain hopeful about improving his results, despite facing persistent qualifying obstacles against Leclerc.
Chandhok has made a surprising claim regarding Hamilton’s current state at Ferrari, suggesting that the gap to Leclerc on the grid should be narrowing over the race calendar. However, based on results, it is evident that the seven-time champion is desperately falling behind his teammate without any sign of improvement.
For a driver who we’re hoping was getting more and more accustomed to life at Ferrari, that gap should have been closing down, but it’s going the wrong way,
Chandhok concluded, indicating a disheartening trajectory.
In order to retain Lewis Hamilton’s interest in the team beyond his contract, Ferrari must urgently enhance their car’s performance. The 40-year-old can realistically contend for the championship with the Prancing Horse, but only if they equip him with the right machinery. As their rivals continue to improve, Maranello seems to fall further behind, either lacking pace or consistently mismanaging strategy. Hamilton has aimed to clinch his record-breaking eighth championship victory with the team, but that goal appears increasingly distant.
