Hamilton’s long-awaited move to Ferrari failed to deliver immediate success. He ended the 2025 campaign sixth in the drivers’ standings and, for the first time in his Formula 1 career, did not stand on a grand prix podium.
His standout moment came earlier in the year when he claimed victory in the Chinese Grand Prix Sprint, offering a brief glimpse of what might still be possible.
Ferrari’s season unravelled as rivals surged ahead. The team made an early call in April to switch development focus to the major regulation changes coming in 2026. That decision left them unable to keep pace as the year progressed, and the gap to the front grew dramatically. After finishing just 14 points behind champions McLaren in 2024, Ferrari ended 2025 a distant 435 points adrift.
Despite the results, Hamilton struck an optimistic tone when reflecting on his first year in red and the atmosphere within the team.
“I’ll never compare Ferrari to another team, just because it is so different,” Hamilton told media. “I’m constantly inspired when I go back to the factory. Every time, it is the most amazing feeling.
“There is just something romantic when you go to Ferrari, with the brand. There is great harmony in the team, even with all the ups and downs that we’ve been having.”
Hamilton said the focus inside Maranello had already shifted firmly to learning from mistakes and preparing for the future under the new rules.
“Everyone is so focused on taking the learnings from 2025 to build a better future, and that encourages me every time I go back to the factory,” he said. “Of course, there are areas we need to improve. We’ve spoken about those, and that’s what we’re working on.”
For Hamilton, the lack of immediate success had not shaken his belief. Instead, he viewed the season as a foundation year, with Ferrari’s full attention now on delivering a car capable of fighting at the front again when Formula 1 enters a new era in 2026.
