Lewis Hamilton has shown signs of recovery with notable performances at the Dutch and Italian Grands Prix, indicating some positive Lewis Hamilton Ferrari progress. However, 2016 World Champion Nico Rosberg points out that Hamilton being praised simply for matching the pace of Charles Leclerc highlights how deep his struggles had been. Rosberg also warns that Ferrari will face mounting pressure after a subdued Italian Grand Prix, with the team’s difficulties attracting top Formula 1 talent underscored by Adrian Newey’s refusal to join the Italian outfit.
Challenges in Hamilton’s first season with Ferrari
During the initial half of the season, Hamilton’s difficulties in adapting to Ferrari’s machinery led to speculation about his future with the team, with some rumours suggesting the seven-time World Champion might not return after the summer break. Hamilton stayed on and has gradually improved, now often keeping pace with his team-mate Charles Leclerc. Still, Hamilton acknowledges that the car and he have not yet fully bonded.
At the Italian Grand Prix, Hamilton admitted to PlanetF1.com journalist Thomas Maher and other media that he is
still not 100 per cent comfortable with the car.
He further explained:
Ultimately, that’s driving kind of an alien driving style.
Despite these ongoing challenges, some progress has been made, a development that pleases Rosberg, Hamilton’s former rival and teammate at Mercedes.
Rosberg reflects on Hamilton’s recent improvements
Rosberg expressed relief at Hamilton’s solid weekend performance, describing it as a critical step forward. He commented on Sky’s ‘The F1 Show’ podcast:
It was nice to see Lewis having a really solid weekend, feeling comfortable in the car, being quick at times, showing flashes of his brilliance,
adding,
“I think that was an important weekend for him.”
Yet, Rosberg also emphasized how telling it is that simply being able to compete with Leclerc now earns Hamilton praise. He said,
But anyway, good to see him have a good one, and let’s hope he can carry it forward. That would be important for him.
Ferrari’s ongoing championship struggles and home race pressures
With eight races remaining in the 2025 season, Ferrari’s hopes for the Drivers’ Championship have effectively ended once again, continuing the team’s wait for a title that has stretched back since Kimi Raikkonen’s 2007 triumph. Rosberg was asked about Ferrari’s reaction to finishing fourth and sixth at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, their home race.
Rosberg asserted:
No, Ferrari will be under pressure,
because
they are always measured a lot by their home race, and it was a poor home race with no pace and no chance to win and no chance for a podium. So they’ll be under a lot of pressure.
With the Formula 1 regulations set for a major overhaul in 2026, there is speculation about whether Ferrari will shift focus toward the upcoming technical changes rather than dwelling on the disappointing Monza results.
Ferrari’s talent recruitment challenges amid regulatory changes
Rosberg highlighted Ferrari’s geographical disadvantage in attracting premier racing personnel, attributing this problem to the team’s Italian base being distant from the United Kingdom, which he called the world center for motorsport talent. He pointed to failed negotiations with renowned F1 designer Adrian Newey, who opted instead to join Aston Martin as managing technical partner and shareholder.
Rosberg revealed on the challenges facing Ferrari’s recruitment:
I even heard that Ferrari may even be thinking to open a department in the UK,
because
one of the issues they have, obviously, is that they struggle with talent acquisition, and the centre of the world for motorsport talent is the UK.
He added,
Someone like Adrian Newey, who was in contract negotiations with Ferrari, eventually didn’t go, because he just didn’t really want to leave his family behind in the UK. So that’s why he chose Aston Martin, and many top engineering talent have the same challenge.
Rosberg further warned about Ferrari’s difficulties in assembling a world championship-winning team:
So really, it’s just, they’re struggling to get all the top talent that they need to become a world championship-winning team again.
Reflection on Ferrari’s lengthy title drought
Rosberg underscored how urgent Ferrari’s situation is by comparing the current dry spell to the previous lengthy stretch without Drivers’ Championships. He said:
And can you believe it? It’s 18 years since they won a Drivers’ Championship. The last worst period was 1979 until 2000, which was Jody Scheckter to Michael Schumacher. 21 years. And they’re almost nearing that again. So it’s been a massively rough patch again for them.
As Ferrari continues to wrestle with underperformance and organizational challenges, the pressure grows not only on their drivers like Hamilton and Leclerc but also on the team’s leadership to reverse the downward trend before the new technical regulations take effect. With the 2026 season promising substantial changes, Ferrari’s ability to recruit top talent and adapt quickly may determine if they can finally end their prolonged championship drought.
