Lewis Hamilton’s F1 2025 title hopes shrink as Ferrari fails to deliver; pressure mounts on Frédéric Vasseur ahead of 2026 reset.
Lewis Hamilton’s hopes of claiming an eighth world title remain slim.
That’s the view of former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard, following a disappointing first third of the 2025 season for Hamilton at Ferrari.
“I always felt Lewis had built a special relationship and loyalty with Mercedes, so I was completely puzzled when I heard about his departure.”
“It was a bit like Michael (Schumacher) returning to Formula 1 with Mercedes, despite his incredible legacy at Ferrari. But ultimately, this is Lewis’s journey, his story, the book he’s writing.”
“Maybe he’ll win a Grand Prix, maybe a championship – or maybe not.”
When asked if he personally believed Hamilton would retire as an eight-time world champion, Coulthard admitted: “No, it doesn’t seem that way.”
“He clearly envisioned something different from what has happened so far.”
However, despite being particularly downbeat after the recent Spanish Grand Prix, Hamilton insists he is still doing everything he can to improve the Ferrari. And he is putting pressure on his team.
“We have a fantastic simulator in Maranello,” said the British driver. “Since I arrived, I’ve suggested pages and pages of things I felt were necessary.”
“And we’re working on them. We are constantly working to improve, and the team has already made progress.”
Coulthard, however, is not the only pundit pessimistic about Hamilton’s prospects in red. Many are pointing fingers at Frédéric Vasseur, suggesting the Frenchman’s days at Ferrari could also be numbered.
Vasseur admitted that McLaren seems out of reach in 2025, but said: “We want to keep closing the gap with McLaren bit by bit. I don’t know if we’ll win in one, two or three months. I can’t promise anything to the fans, except that we’ll give 200%, that we’ll attack like crazy, even if the others don’t sleep.”
As for his position at the helm of the legendary Ferrari team, Vasseur appears confident.
“I just turned 57. There’s no bigger or more rewarding challenge on the grid than being team principal at Ferrari. At the same time, there’s probably no role more exposed than mine, but I love working with the team and the drivers, and we have a great team spirit.”
Hamilton, however, stated in Barcelona that the team should already be considering shifting all its focus to the new 2026 F1 project, even though some upgrades are still expected for the SF-25.
“We’re going to start from scratch. It’s exciting for everyone,” Vasseur replied.
“This will be a completely new challenge; I can’t recall anything comparable in F1. And it’s impossible to benchmark against others.”
