Guenther Steiner tells Ferrari what Lewis Hamilton’s ‘biggest problem’ has been during the 2025 F1 season

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Lewis Hamilton has endured one of the toughest seasons in his Formula 1 career to date in 2025, and Ferrari have struggled to find answers to his woes.

The Briton is sixth in the drivers’ championship and has started his career at the Scuderia with the longest run any driver has ever had without achieving a podium. Last winter, Hamilton’s move was the talk of the paddock. Now, people are starting to question whether leaving Mercedes was the right call.

Ferrari are no longer a team competing for the constructors’ title, as they did last year. The SF25 has been a tricky car to handle, and it’s why neither driver has managed to win a race with it. Heading into the 2026 F1 regulations, major improvements are expected.

Hamilton has ‘shattered’ harmony at Ferrari after disobeying team orders handed to him in the closing stages of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Mercedes couldn’t give Hamilton a title-winning car in his final few seasons with them, and might have realised why in the last few weeks.

READ MORE: Juan Pablo Montoya was in disbelief when he heard Ferrari’s response to one Lewis Hamilton radio message

Guenther Steiner tells Ferrari that Lewis Hamilton’s ‘biggest problem’ was hype around move

Even though Hamilton is closing in on an unwanted Kimi Raikkonen record, he still has seven weekends to build some positive momentum heading into the new regulations. At the back end of last year, he performed well, particularly at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

With a title fight at the front, there may be a sense of vulnerability that can be pounced on by someone as experienced as the seven-time champion. If the McLaren drivers and Max Verstappen find themselves locked in battle, Hamilton will be able to wait for the right moment.

But ex-Haas boss Guenther Steiner believes that the ‘biggest problem’ of 2025 existed before Hamilton had even stepped into a Ferrari cockpit. He blames the amount of hype around the move for the disappointment which has followed.

“I think the biggest problem there, is the expectations which were set last year when it was announced. The expectation was Lewis is coming back to win his eighth world championship [at] Ferrari,” he said.

“Because at the time, when it was announced, Ferrari was very strong, the second half of last year’s season.

“This dream, everybody believed [in it], me included. It’s like, this is too good. Then obviously this year, reality set in, and guess what, we are all disappointed.”

READ MORE: ‘Spoiled child’ Lewis Hamilton told why he’s not like Fernando Alonso after Ferrari disappointment

Why Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari should be far better in 2026

Everyone in Formula 1 knows that nothing comes quickly, apart from the cars. Take a look at Adrian Newey, for example, who joined Aston Martin at the start of the year.

The effect of his work on their cars won’t be felt until a few months into 2026. That’s at least 12 months of his time spent on a long-term project.

With regard to Hamilton’s feedback and guidance, it could be a similar case at Ferrari. For a long time, they’ve known that putting their eggs in the 2026 basket was a good idea.

Charles Leclerc is ‘benefitting most’ from Hamilton right now, and in just a few months, they might be thanking themselves for putting in so much work this year, and in some way, sacrificing some joy in 2025, for a lot more in the coming seasons.