F1 trainer concerned about Lewis Hamilton’s ‘sleeping patterns’ after what he’s seen at Ferrari

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Lewis Hamilton says he’s ‘looking forward’ rather than reflecting on a difficult first season at Ferrari. Hamilton only has two more rounds to avoid going a whole year without a podium.

The Ferrari driver arrives in Qatar off the back of an eighth-place finish at the Las Vegas GP. Hamilton qualified at the back of the grid, which set up another dispiriting Sunday.

After the race, Hamilton called 2025 the ‘worst season ever’. In another recent interview, he admitted his Ferrari dream was turning into a ‘nightmare’.

And perhaps most worryingly of all, Hamilton said he isn’t looking forward to 2026 either – though he did clarify in the Qatar press conference that this was largely due to fatigue.

Lewis Hamilton trapped in a ‘cycle of negative emotions’ at Ferrari

“I’d be surprised if the other drivers are excited about next year at the end of a season because you usually don’t have a lot of energy,” Hamilton said. “You’re looking forward to time with family.

“But that’s just in the heat of frustration. Often, there’s a lot of frustration at the end of races, particularly when they haven’t gone well. I’m excited to see the team next year and continue to build on with them.”

But speaking on the James Allen on F1 podcast, Nick Harris, a trainer and mentor for drivers like Mark Webber and David Coulthard, raised concerns about Hamilton’s state of mind.

Hamilton’s work ethic at Ferrari has been described as ‘crazy’, but he’s not seeing the benefits on track. When an athlete finds themselves in that position, it can often impact physical and mental recovery.

“That Lewis example… all that effort turns into that negative cycle,” Harris explained. “That’s what’s happening with Lewis. He’s put all the effort in physically and mentally, but the results aren’t coming back.

“That’s obviously his rest/recovery, his sleeping patterns. Now, it’s clear that that cycle of negative emotions is coming out more frequently.”

It may be time for Lewis Hamilton to walk away – Ralf Schumacher

Ferrari won’t say that signing Hamilton was a mistake, even though he hasn’t reached the level of predecessor Carlos Sainz. The Scuderia are already under more scrutiny than any team, but the presence of the seven-time world champion has increased it further.

Like his fans, Ferrari will be hoping that Hamilton is better suited to the new generation of cars. His evident discomfort in the ground-effect machinery may have created a misleading picture of decline.

However, Ralf Schumacher says Hamilton should be ‘encouraged’ to step aside if he can’t show any signs of improvement before the end of the season. With the Briton no longer able to reach his ‘optimum’ level, it may soon be ‘time to stop’.