Lewis Hamilton’s high-profile move to Ferrari for the 2025 Formula 1 season was billed as a new dawn for both driver and team. Yet, just a few months into the season, results have painted a very different picture. The seven-time World Champion has been consistently outpaced by teammate Charles Leclerc and has shown visible frustration in post-race interviews. Now, ex-Ferrari engineer Rob Smedley has weighed in, offering a technical perspective on why Hamilton’s dream switch is faltering.
Hamilton vs. the SF-25: A Mismatch of Style and Machinery
Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Smedley – who famously engineered Felipe Massa during his Ferrari tenure – identified the fundamental issue as a lack of rear-end stability in the SF-25.
“The car is not that easy to drive,” Smedley explained. “It certainly doesn’t suit Lewis’ driving style. Charles can get a bit more on top of it over a single timed lap.”
Smedley noted that Hamilton thrives with a car that offers a dependable rear end through medium to high-speed corners. Without that, the Briton struggles to extract maximum performance.
“If the car is a bit tail-happy he is unhappy and he can’t get the best out of it. That’s just his driving style,” Smedley added.
Hamilton’s unease with the SF-25 has been evident, particularly during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah, where he lamented over the radio that there was “no fix in sight.”
No Silver Bullet for Ferrari’s Problems
Beyond driving style mismatches, Smedley suggested Ferrari’s issues are systemic and unlikely to be resolved quickly. The SF-25 lacks the performance window needed to challenge consistently at the front – a reality that even Ferrari insiders admit.
“I do think that there is just a general lack of performance,” Smedley said. “It will not be one thing that turns that car into a silver bullet. It’s about tiny margins, little gains here and there.”
According to Smedley, even a modest gain of two to three tenths per lap could drastically improve Ferrari’s standing. However, he cautioned that such progress requires time and meticulous development, both in qualifying and race trim.
Strategy Stumbles and Internal Discord
Ferrari’s woes aren’t limited to hardware. Their operational execution came under scrutiny at the Miami Grand Prix, where indecision over team orders derailed Hamilton’s race strategy.
Hamilton, running on the faster medium tyres, requested to pass Leclerc mid-race. However, the team delayed its decision, causing Hamilton’s tyre advantage to fade before the instruction to swap positions was issued. Hamilton’s sarcastic radio message reflected his growing discontent.
Smedley, recalling his own controversial radio moment with Massa in 2010, empathized with the team but stressed the importance of swift decision-making in dynamic race situations.
“Fred [Vasseur] said it was just a lap and a half they were making that decision,” Smedley noted. “But in the future, just be slightly better prepared… what you don’t want to do is hold [a driver] up and ruin the chance of that strategy working.”
A Test of Character for Hamilton and Ferrari
The early part of the 2025 season has undoubtedly tested both Hamilton and Ferrari. For the driver, it’s a stark contrast to the dominance he once enjoyed at Mercedes. For the team, it’s a reminder that even the most decorated driver in the sport cannot overcome fundamental technical deficiencies alone.
Smedley’s insights underscore that there is no quick fix – only hard work, adaptation, and strategic cohesion can right the course. Whether Hamilton and Ferrari can rise to the challenge remains one of the sport’s most compelling questions in 2025.
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