Lewis Hamilton heads into the Miami Grand Prix hoping to recreate the momentum he briefly captured throughout System 1’s earlier Dash weekend in Shanghai. His begin to life at Ferrari has lacked consistency, and after a promising flash in China, Hamilton is in dire want of one other efficiency enhance to gas optimism in his Scuderia marketing campaign.
Again in Shanghai, the seven-time world champion secured a shock Dash pole and transformed it with a commanding drive, pulling out almost a seven-second hole over the brief 19-lap race. Though the victory doesn’t rely towards official data, it served as a symbolic excessive level, suggesting Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari stint was lastly taking form. But, just a few weeks later, that outcome seems extra like an exception than the start of a turnaround.
The eight factors Lewis Hamilton earned that day nonetheless make up over 1 / 4 of his complete haul up to now in 2025. Since then, his finishes have been underwhelming, with seventh, fifth, and one other seventh place displaying little signal of a breakthrough.
Ferrari could discover some renewed efficiency in Miami by operating the SF-25 decrease to the bottom in the course of the Dash session, a tactic that labored in Shanghai because of the decrease gas hundreds. Nevertheless, in China, that setup strategy led to extreme plank put on and a post-race disqualification. This time, the group hopes to keep away from the identical destiny by adjusting the automobile’s trip top as soon as parc fermé restrictions elevate earlier than qualifying. It’s a glimmer of hope for Hamilton, although Sunday’s race will supply the true benchmark.
Underlying Lewis Hamilton’s struggles is a deeper drawback inside Ferrari’s 2025 marketing campaign — what insiders have described as an “intrinsic” weak point throughout qualifying. A report by AutoRacer revealed that regardless of ending solely 14 factors behind the 2024 constructors’ title, Ferrari’s single-lap tempo continues to be a priority. Final season, they claimed simply 4 pole positions — solely half the tally achieved by McLaren and Crimson Bull — and the most recent information reveals the brand new SF-25 hasn’t improved on that entrance.
Ferrari’s qualifying difficulties stem from their lack of ability to maximise efficiency on new delicate tyres. The group trails McLaren by roughly four-tenths of a second in one-lap tempo, they usually additionally lag behind Crimson Bull and Mercedes. Even Charles Leclerc, who has tailored much better to the present automobile than Hamilton, has been unable to match the uncooked tempo of the front-runners.
This shortfall turns into much more vital given how tough it has turn out to be to comply with and overtake in fashionable F1 races. Poor grid positions can destroy race prospects — a troubling actuality for Hamilton, whose Saturday performances have slipped in current seasons. Because the starting of 2024, he has been outqualified by his teammates 23 occasions in 29 races. Ferrari wanted to offer him a automobile able to hiding that vulnerability, however as a substitute, the SF-25 seems to have highlighted it.
Including complexity to the state of affairs is Lewis Hamilton’s request for setup modifications that diverge from Charles Leclerc’s preferences. Inside information reveals Carlos Sainz was inside 0.03% of the Monegasque in qualifying final 12 months, whereas the seven-time System 1 world champion is trailing by a mean of 0.3% — a notable drop. Though it’s nonetheless early to attract ultimate conclusions, the British driver’s himself didn’t sound particularly upbeat after leaving Saudi Arabia.
Nonetheless, the Brit stays dedicated. At a current sponsor occasion, he reassured followers that he had no intention of giving up, sustaining a fierce work ethic regardless of mounting challenges. His dedication is unquestioned, however Ferrari now finds itself in a tough balancing act. With Leclerc seemingly nearer to the optimum setup, and Hamilton pulling in the wrong way, the group should fastidiously weigh improvement selections — and hope that their high-profile signing doesn’t fall additional behind.
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