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Lewis Hamilton told their Ferrari problems are permanent as he faces worst F1 Season ever

Originally posted on HITC | By Kyle Archer | Last updated Oct 11, 2025 9:58 AM ET

Lewis Hamilton may be heading towards the lowest points total of his 19-year Formula 1 career, as his first season with Ferrari hasn’t gone according to plan.

The seven-time world champion joined Ferrari in 2025 hoping a change of scenery would turn things around after two difficult years at Mercedes. But ongoing problems with the SF-25 have left him sitting on just 125 points after 18 races.

That number is a career-low for Hamilton at this stage of the season. He currently sits sixth in the drivers’ standings and, for the first time, has yet to appear on the podium past round ten.

This isn’t Hamilton’s first winless season – he also went without a victory during his final two years at Mercedes. But even then, he managed nine and six podium finishes respectively, compared to none so far this year with only six races left.

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton ‘will never’ be the driver he once was

Hamilton and Leclerc have both struggled with the SF-25 ever since Ferrari prioritised rear suspension updates over aerodynamic improvements at the start of the year. The car hasn’t responded well to set-up changes since the upgrade rolled out at Spa, making life difficult for both drivers.

The update was supposed to open up more performance in the SF-25, but Hamilton hasn’t finished higher than sixth in any race since it was installed. Derek Daly doesn’t see things improving either, questioning whether Hamilton can ever get back to his former level.

Photo by Bryn Lennon – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images

Daly, who used to drive for Tyrrell and Williams, has also repeated his view that Ferrari’s decision to bring in Hamilton over Sainz was driven more by marketing than racing. In 2024, SportsPro ranked Hamilton as Formula One’s most marketable driver and the 11th most marketable athlete overall.

Daly told RacingNews365: “Hamilton is one of the greatest success stories F1 has ever seen. He is solely responsible for taking F1 to places they’ve never been – like the fashion world. He had the stature of a champion, unlike anybody that I remember ever.

“The way he carried himself, the way he dressed and how he drove. Those days are over. They’re never going to come back. There is a time in every athlete’s life where your instincts and reflexes are never as good as they were 15 years earlier.

“So, those days are gone for Ferrari. To bring Hamilton there was a marketing decision, I have to believe, not a pure racing decision.”

Two more podium-free races would make 2025 Hamilton’s worst F1 Season

Hamilton won the F1 Sprint in China back in round two of the 2025 season, and even took pole for that race. He added another Sprint podium with a P3 finish in Miami, but he’s yet to make the main podium this year.

The 105-time Grand Prix winner hasn’t finished higher than fourth in any of his first 18 races with Ferrari. Those best results all came at Imola, the Red Bull Ring and Silverstone. Ferrari then debuted their rear suspension upgrade at Spa in round 13 this July.

If Hamilton doesn’t make it onto a Grand Prix podium over the next two races — unless he wins one — this season will go down as his worst ever. He currently shares his lowest rostrum tally of five with 2009, 2013 and last year.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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