Robert Doornbos has seen a worrying sign from Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari after ‘rookie’ Dutch Grand Prix crash

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Lewis Hamilton suffered his first retirement in Ferrari colours at the Dutch Grand Prix. His search for his first podium with the team continues.

The Brit needed a hard reset over the summer break after a difficult start to life in Maranello. His Sprint victory at Shanghai now seems like a distant memory as he struggles to find the right balance with the SF-25.

Hamilton told Ferrari to replace him at Budapest, labelling himself as ‘useless’ after he qualified and finished a miserable P12. Coming into the Dutch Grand Prix after the summer break, he was keen to rejuvenate his form.

Ferrari ‘totally reconfigured’ their setup at Zandvoort, but they still struggled in the high-speed sections of the circuit. Charles Leclerc and Hamilton qualified P5 and P7 respectively, but could not find a way up through the field.

On lap 23, Hamilton had planned to undercut the cars in front, but he lost the rear end at turn three and slammed into the wall. Leclerc had a foul-mouthed reaction over the radio as he had attempted to undercut, but that was abruptly halted by the safety car.

Leclerc later crashed out after colliding with Kimi Antonelli at the same corner, marking Ferrari’s first double DNF of 2025. Hamilton admitted that his crash was ‘very unusual’ in what was another disappointing afternoon for the 40-year-old.

Robert Doornbos sees Lewis Hamilton as ‘isolated’ at Ferrari after his ‘rookie’ mistake at the Dutch Grand Prix

Former F1 driver Robert Doornbos felt Hamilton made a ‘rookie’ mistake for his accident. After seeing him in the paddock at Zandvoort, he thinks that the Brit is ‘isolated’ at Ferrari as he is not as energetic as he was at Mercedes.

“I’m sure there was some stress in Maranello: ‘How are we going to cope with it in the second half of the season?” said Doornbos via the Pit Talk Podcast.

“And when what Lewis did on race day, I still can’t believe it. That would happen to a rookie, not to one of the all-time greats in Formula 1.

“The body language says enough. If I see him move through the paddock, I’ve seen a different Lewis many times, you know, with his head up, in the Mercedes days.

“And now with his hoodie on, on his little scooter going from A to B, the distances are long in the Dutch F1 paddock; he looks isolated.

“A bit lonely, disappointed with himself. He’s a spiritual guy and he can put himself in a place, maybe not it’s always the best place to be in. And I think as a team boss, Frederic Vasseur tries to get him out of that place.

“But come on, he’s a seven-time world champion, you shouldn’t tell him how to drive a race car. He knows what his weaknesses are and what his strengths are, but at the moment, not much strength to see.”

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

Lewis Hamilton will struggle to improve his form at Monza after being hit with a grid penalty

Ralf Schumacher warned Hamilton he risks a ‘tragic’ situation at Ferrari if his form does not improve. The team’s home race at Monza could be just what he needs, with the Tifosi cheering him on in the grandstands.

‘Everyone’ at Ferrari thinks they can challenge McLaren at the Italian Grand Prix this weekend. However, no one ‘dares’ to admit it, and they will have a tough job on their hands to do it, especially with Hamilton.

The seven-time champion will have to serve a five-place grid penalty for a yellow flag infringement before the Dutch GP. Hamilton’s penalty highlights a major problem with stewarding in F1, as it took seven hours for the verdict to be released.

Hamilton will take some confidence out of the fact that Ferrari may have the car to potentially win at Monza. The problem is whether he can qualify well and make his way through the field.