Ferrari have ‘internally’ identified Lewis Hamilton’s biggest problem and it’s not what he expected

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Lewis Hamilton is now experiencing the longest podium drought of his Formula 1 career. It’s been 13 races since he finished in the top three (at the back end of his final Mercedes season).

Hamilton won the China Sprint and came home third in the Miami equivalent, but neither of these count towards the record books. He’s still waiting for a milestone result with his new team.

The 40-year-old put together a reasonable weekend in Austria. Fourth place represented his highest starting position of the season.

He held that spot in the race, defending stoutly against former teammate George Russell in the early stages before settling into a rather isolated afternoon. Charles Leclerc would score his fourth podium of the year in the other car.

The Monegasque’s performance, together with Hamilton’s near misses, will breed confidence that a podium is coming. This weekend’s British Grand Prix would be the perfect moment.

Jerome D’Ambrosio and Ferrari say Lewis Hamilton’s issues lie in the races

Speaking to Sky after the race, Jerome D’Ambrosio praised Hamilton’s recent qualifying performances. While he was just under a tenth slower than Leclerc in Austria, he beat him at the previous two races.

He’s currently enjoying his longest streak of top-five qualifying results (four) since a five-race stretch between Spain and Belgium last year. Given that he said he wasn’t ‘fast anymore’ last November, he may have expected to struggle over one lap in 2025.

But D’Ambrosio says he has ‘everything under control’ on a Saturday. While there are mitigating circumstances, including his floor damage in Canada, where he’s lagging behind is his race pace.

The experienced Hamilton was backed to beat Leclerc in Grands Prix, but he trails the head-to-head 9-1 after last weekend.

“What we see internally is that he had everything under control in qualifying over the last three races, but not quite so well in the race,” said deputy team principal D’Ambrosio.

“In Barcelona, ​​we had a problem with the car, and in Canada, he ran over a marmot on lap 14. Today, he had a strong race, always close to Charles. Both had good pace.”

Why Bernie Ecclestone doesn’t expect Lewis Hamilton to win an eighth title

On the team radio immediately after the race, Hamilton told Riccardo Adami that he ‘didn’t really have the pace’ and needs to ‘figure that out’. He seems to agree with D’Ambrosio’s assessment.

He sits sixth in the championship, having contributed 91 of Ferrari’s 210 points (43.3%). His form has stabilised recently after what was at times an alarming start, but it’s still short of expectations.

Indeed, he joined Ferrari to win a record eighth world championship. That can be ruled out for 2025, with the team beginning to focus on the upcoming rule changes instead.

However, Bernie Ecclestone thinks Hamilton won’t deliver the title at Ferrari. He thinks there are too many management figures operating at the team, who need one leader to take full control.