Lewis Hamilton: Media Negativity Affects Ferrari F1 Team Morale

Lewis Hamilton suggests that persistent negative media scrutiny has significantly impacted the morale of Ferrari's Formula 1 team, contributing to a challenging season in Maranello. Despite high expectations for 2025 after a strong 2024, Ferrari has yet to secure a single win and Hamilton has not reached the podium.

Why it matters:

Ferrari, a team with immense historical significance and a passionate fanbase, operates under intense media pressure, especially from Italian outlets. Hamilton's comments highlight how this constant scrutiny can take a toll not just on leadership, but on every member of the team, potentially affecting performance and internal dynamics. This season's struggles, coupled with external criticism, create a challenging environment for a team aiming to return to championship contention.

The details:

• Ferrari entered the 2025 season with high hopes after finishing just 14 points behind McLaren in 2024, but has not managed a single race win. Lewis Hamilton, in particular, has not secured a podium finish.
• Italian media, including La Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere della Sera, have frequently reported on the team's struggles, even fueling rumors of team boss Frederic Vasseur's potential sacking in June.
• Hamilton explicitly stated that the "negativity that's constantly within the media" impacts team members, extending beyond the workplace to their families.
• Team Morale: Hamilton observed, "They get home to their wives and their wives say 'they've been saying this about where you work', and I'm sure that's tough, and the kids, and all those things. So there's a huge effect on lots of people."
• Frederic Vasseur acknowledged the negative impact but emphasized the team's need to remain focused: "For sure, it's not helping, but it's our job that you know that you do good results."
• Ferrari's late-season slump was exacerbated by an early decision in April to halt development on the 2025 car to prioritize the new 2026 technical regulations. Hamilton supported this strategic shift.
• Despite this strategic focus, both Ferrari drivers expressed pessimism after a particularly unstable performance at the Qatar GP, where the SF-25 struggled with tire pressures.

Between the lines:

While team bosses often deflect blame and shield their teams, Hamilton's perspective as an incoming driver offers an unusual, candid insight into the human cost of F1's high-pressure environment. His comments underscore the psychological burden on individuals working for an iconic team like Ferrari, especially when performance falls short of monumental expectations. Vasseur's response, though pragmatic, acknowledges the reality of the situation while pushing for resilience.

What's next:

With the season drawing to a close without a win, Ferrari's focus will now entirely shift to the 2026 regulations, a strategic gamble that carries significant risk but also potential reward. The success of this early development decision will be crucial for the team to bounce back and silence critics. How the team manages internal morale and external pressure while developing the new car will be key to their future competitiveness.