F1 pundit sounded like a killjoy, but it turns out he was right about Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari

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Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was the biggest driver transfer in F1 history. This much was clear in the winter of 2025 as he started work with the Italian giants.

Thousands of F1 fans descended on Fiorano for Hamilton’s first test, even on a cold, damp morning in a two-year-old car. He then received the loudest cheers of the night at the season launch event in London.

This was the marriage of the sport’s most successful driver and its most iconic team. Karun Chandhok called the hype around Hamilton ‘unreal’, and it went up another level after he won the Sprint race in China just a week after his debut.

But since then, the 40-year-old has struggled badly. Disqualified in China for a technical breach, he’s finished outside the top six in two of the last three races, and his results are even worse in qualifying.

Sebastian Vettel says Hamilton and Ferrari shouldn’t be written off, but even the seven-time world champion himself said after Saudi Arabia that the rest of the year would be painful. His contract only runs for two seasons, so if he’s right, his tenure will be at least 50% disappointing.

Ralf Schumacher was right to raise concerns about Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari move

Amidst the overwhelming buzz around Hamilton, Sky Germany pundit Ralf Schumacher went against the grain. Some may have accused him of seeking publicity with a contrarian take, or even feeling threatened as the British driver tried to surpass his brother with an eighth title.

But on the early evidence, he was right to be concerned. First and foremost, Schumacher warned Hamilton would need ‘six to eight’ months to feel comfortable at Ferrari.

Sure enough, the former Mercedes driver is at odds with the scarlet red car, unable to impose his driving style on the SF-25 or adapt to its demands. Michael Schumacher had the same problem as Hamilton when he made his F1 comeback in 2010.

What’s more, the younger Schumacher said Leclerc would have Hamilton ‘under control’. The Monegasque leads the qualifying head-to-head 4-1, and the race battle 4-0 (when both are classified).

Karun Chandhok faces backlash from Lewis Hamilton fans over criticism

One journalist has noticed a ‘disconnect’ between Hamilton and Ferrari over the radio. He wants much more information during practice and qualifying sessions than the team are inclined to give.

His engineers would sooner wait until he’s back in the garage to review data. Clearly, there’s still a clash of working methods to be resolved, as well as issues with Hamilton’s technique.

The mood among ‘Team LH’ will be split. Some will demand that he’s given more time before judgements are made, while others will already be feeling dejected.

Karun Chandhok upset Hamilton fans after the Saudi Arabian GP when he called him the ‘oops’ of the weekend. There is a unique level of emotion tied up in the move, and it doesn’t always manifest itself in a constructive manner.