Lewis Hamilton is dealing with the same problem Sebastian Vettel had at Ferrari eight years later

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Lewis Hamilton looks to be facing the same problem Sebastian Vettel experienced at Ferrari eight years later. 

Hamilton, 41, is searching for a record-breaking eighth Formula 1 world title, having been denied controversially back in 2021.

Ahead of the 2025 season, the seven-time world champion made a high-profile transfer from Mercedes to Ferrari, a move that was described as a perfect match.

However, the Brit endured a tough debut season with the Scuderia, finishing 86 points adrift of Charles Leclerc.

Although Hamilton made a promising start to 2026, it seems that Ferrari’s old problems are resurfacing. 

Do you expect Lewis Hamilton’s top-six streak to end this weekend?

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Davide Valsecchi makes worrying point about Ferrari’s development

According to ex-driver and F1 TV analyst, Davide Valsecchi, Ferrari’s track record in recent years means they are unlikely to win the world title. 

Valsecchi touched on Vettel, who drove for Ferrari from 2015 to 2020, experiencing a drop in form mid-way through the season, down to the fact that the team’s upgrades did not work as intended.

Valsecchi said to Formula1.IT: “It’s always incredibly difficult to judge Ferrari because, fundamentally, I love them, and therefore I always tend to be incredibly optimistic. 

“However, it’s always difficult to judge because the trajectory of recent years tells me they never improve that much.

“So, if you ask me if they’ll win the world championship, I’d bet no, because in recent years, it’s always their rivals who have improved rather than Ferrari. That’s why I say, we have statistics to the contrary.

“Will they fight for something more important? Looking at the statistics, we’ve never had a second half of the season like McLaren.

“It’s been many, many years since we’ve seen such huge performance improvements. I remember that even with Vettel things were already declining, and we’re already talking about eight or nine years ago.”

Can Ferrari still win an F1 title in 2026?

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Is Lewis Hamilton facing the same fate as Sebastian Vettel?

Back in 2018, Vettel had a brilliant start to the campaign, winning in Australia and Bahrain. However, a string of poor results followed, allowing Hamilton to take control of the title race.

Towards the end of the season, Vettel did not taste victory in the last eight races, with Hamilton winning six.

It was a similar pattern in 2017, Vettel had won three of the opening six races, but only went on to win two more Grands Prix in the remainder of the year.

In 2026, Hamilton and Leclerc have enjoyed a promising start, but Miami was a huge reality check for Ferrari, who were beaten by the likes of Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull.

Looking ahead, it is clear that Ferrari need their upgrades to deliver if they want to have a chance of winning the world title.