Lewis Hamilton could set personal unwanted record if Ferrari woes continue at the Austrian Grand Prix

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Lewis Hamilton is not having the 2025 Formula 1 season that so many were expecting when he made the move to Ferrari.

The seven-time champion hoped a fresh start in Maranello would be exactly what he needed to revive his form. He came into 2025 off the back of his lowest finish to date in F1 with seventh.

Leaving Mercedes for Ferrari in what is arguably the biggest driver transfer in the sport’s history, Hamilton came under immediate pressure to deliver results. The team have not won any championship since 2008; the Tifosi saw the 40-year-old as the one to end that streak.

Hamilton himself felt Ferrari were ‘ready to win’ after visiting the factory in Maranello for the first time, but that has spectacularly backfired. 10 races into the 2025 campaign and the Brit’s title chances in both championships are all but over.

Heading into the Austrian Grand Prix, Hamilton is already 119 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri. With just three podiums thus far, Ferrari could fall 200 points behind McLaren in the constructors’ standings as they struggle for performance at the front.

The SF-25 has proved a largely uncompetitive package in 2025, with it being the fourth-fastest car on balance this season. Ferrari are doing a lot ‘in the background’ to fix their woes, which Hamilton will hope are solved soon as he risks breaking an unwanted record.

Lewis Hamilton could go 13 races without a podium for the first time in his F1 career at the Austrian GP

Hamilton’s teammate Charles Leclerc has scored Ferrari’s podiums this season, finishing third in Jeddah and Barcelona and second in Monaco. The 27-year-old has a much better understanding of the car and the team’s environment, with him now in his seventh season with the Maranello outfit.

Leclerc has established a clear advantage over Hamilton, beating him 7-3 in qualifying and 8-1 in the races thus far. The pair were disqualified at the Chinese GP, where the Brit secured victory for Ferrari in the Sprint race.

Sprint races have brought success for Hamilton in 2025, commanding the field in China and finishing third in Miami. But Ferrari have not been able to put together a strong performance on Sunday, with the 40-year-old yet to score a podium from the opening 10 races.

Hamilton has not finished in the top three since the 2024 Las Vegas GP, where he finished second behind Mercedes teammate George Russell. He has never gone more than 12 races without a podium in his 19-season career in F1, but the Brit could break that record in Austria if his woes at Ferrari continue.

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What key F1 figures have been saying about Lewis Hamilton amid Ferrari struggles

The 40-year-old has been calling for upgrades to come to the SF-25 as he is desperate to find performance this season. Hamilton is not satisfied with Ferrari’s working methods since moving from Mercedes, finding them to be ‘too narrow’.

Former teammate Valtteri Bottas sees two ‘difficulties’ for Hamilton at Ferrari with driveability and the use of engine braking. The Finn thinks he is ‘adapting’ to the car and its unpredictable nature.

Toto Wolff has refused to write off Hamilton as he backs the Brit to succeed with Ferrari. The Mercedes boss thinks he is still in his adaptation phase as he learns to get accustomed to the Italian team, but pressure is mounting to find results.

Juan Pablo Montoya predicts Hamilton to retire in 2026 or 2027 if Ferrari cannot provide him with a competitive car under the new regulations. The Brit will hope a move away from ground effect machines will give him performance, having desperately struggled with the current rule spec.