P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Lewis Hamilton has endured a difficult start with Ferrari, but were expectations too high at the start of the year?
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur acknowledged that they may have “underestimated” the challenges Lewis Hamilton faced in transitioning to the Maranello-based outfit from Mercedes.
Hamilton’s struggle to adapt to the SF-25 resulted in his candid admission of feeling “useless” after qualifying 12th at the Hungarian Grand Prix, suggesting the team should consider another driver.
Charles Leclerc has outperformed Hamilton, claiming a pole position and five podium finishes in the 2025 season, while Hamilton is yet to reach the podium for Ferrari.
Adapting to new team dynamics, including working with race engineer Ricardo Adami and adjusting to Ferrari’s operations compared to Mercedes, has been a significant adjustment for Hamilton.
Vasseur highlighted the significant shift for Hamilton, who had spent nearly 20 years in the same environment with McLaren and Mercedes, necessitating time to acclimate to the new culture and processes at Ferrari.
Despite the initial challenges, Vasseur expressed satisfaction with Hamilton’s recent performance improvements, noting that Hamilton has been regaining his competitive edge in the last few races.
