Expert Calls Lewis Hamilton's Maiden Ferrari Season 'Painful to Watch'

Lewis Hamilton's highly anticipated debut season with Ferrari was a turbulent affair, ultimately described as "painful to watch" by a former F1 executive. Despite an early-season Sprint victory in China that fueled championship hopes, the seven-time world champion's performance deteriorated, culminating in a shocking run of three consecutive Q1 eliminations to close out the year.

Why it matters:

Hamilton's struggles are significant because they challenge the narrative of his adaptability and underscore the immense challenge of integrating into a new team culture and engineering philosophy. For Ferrari, a team that invested heavily in the seven-time champion to end their title drought, his poor performance, especially in qualifying compared to Charles Leclerc, creates immense pressure to deliver a competitive car under the new 2026 regulations.

The details:

• A Tale of Two Halves: The season began with a surprise Sprint pole and victory in China, suggesting Hamilton could adapt quickly. However, his form regressed as the year progressed, with the final three races proving particularly difficult.
• Qualifying Woes: The most surprising aspect was Hamilton's struggle in single-lap performance, a discipline where he holds the all-time record for pole positions. The three consecutive Q1 exits were an unprecedented low point in his career.
• Teammate Comparison: While Hamilton grappled with the SF-25, teammate Charles Leclerc managed to extract several podium finishes, significantly widening the points gap between the two Ferrari drivers and highlighting Hamilton's difficulties.
• Expert Verdict: Former Alpine executive Marcin Budkowski stated on the RacingNews365 podcast that the extent of Hamilton's struggles was surprising. He noted that while some initial difficulty was expected, the late-season qualifying crashes were "very painful to watch" for any F1 fan, given Hamilton's legendary status.

Looking Ahead:

The focus now shifts to the 2026 season and its new power unit regulations, which represent a massive opportunity for a reset. Ferrari is under immense pressure to produce a car that allows Hamilton to leverage his race craft and return to his winning ways. How the team and its star driver can overcome this difficult first year will be one of the most compelling storylines heading into the next era of Formula 1.