Mercedes chief reveals what Toto Wolff is privately saying to Lewis Hamilton amid Ferrari woes

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Lewis Hamilton had hoped that his move to Ferrari from Mercedes would be the fresh start he needed after he struggled with ground-effect cars. In reality, his situation has got worse.

It has been a dismal 2025 campaign for the seven-time champion. He is guaranteed to score the lowest points tally of his career since the points system was changed back in 2010.

Heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Hamilton could go without a podium in a calendar year for the first time in his F1 career. He has not been able to adapt his driving style to the Ferrari, nor gel with the team’s operation.

The 2026 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be Lewis Hamilton’s final F1 race – discuss.

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Ferrari have not helped the 40-year-old with poor strategic calls and upgrades for the SF-25 that have ultimately failed. Jean Alesi blasted Fred Vasseur for using the 2026 F1 regulations and focusing on the new car as an excuse for Hamilton’s problems in 2025.

But some are not letting the driver completely off the hook, with Christian Danner saying Hamilton is ‘not worthy of his level’ due to his poor adaptation to Ferrari. The Brit is clearly lacking confidence, and he is receiving guidance from some old friends.

Toto Wolff has been privately trying to ‘encourage’ Lewis Hamilton after a torrid 2025 season at Ferrari

Mercedes’ chief communications officer Bradley Lord spoke to CHAMP1 about Hamilton’s first season at Ferrari. He admitted that the 40-year-old’s former team do feel sorry for him, and that they have been trying to support him in their own way.

Lord revealed that Toto Wolff travels with Hamilton from races and has been trying to ‘encourage’ him: “Yes, as I said, we feel sorry for him on a human level, because we know how much heart and soul Lewis puts into his work, how committed he is, how much he trains and so on.

“And sometimes every driver has ups and downs, or phases where you just can’t get it all together, and that hits him hard.

“But we try to support him in our own way, or Toto often travels with him from the races and they talk about it a lot and, yes, we try to encourage him.

“Because we know that Lewis Hamilton can still be a benchmark and possibly will continue to be in this sport, and we still believe he can do it.”

READ MORE: Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton’s life outside F1 from net worth to family

Bradley Lord is ‘cautious’ that Lewis Hamilton could ‘come back even stronger’ with Ferrari in 2026

Lord added that he feels Hamilton could return to his former self with the new regulations. The end of the ground-effect era could spark an upturn in form.

Asked if he felt sorry for Hamilton, he replied: “In a way, yes, on a human level, for him, because I know how much he puts into it. But I also know that Lewis will only come out stronger from such an experience. So that makes me cautious for next year, that he can come back even stronger.”

The 2026 rule change could be exactly what Hamilton needs to find his feet at Ferrari. He has not got on with the current generation of cars, and Ferrari will be hoping to return to the front next season.

Early indications look encouraging in Maranello. Ferrari have hinted they are ahead of their rivals by already completing a crash test with their 2026 car; they want to get ahead of the curve.