At the recent British Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton described his Ferrari SF-25 as
“the most difficult car I’ve driven”
under wet conditions, highlighting significant issues with stability that hindered his performance. The seven-time World Champion aims to present his improvement ideas to Ferrari’s development team as they work on their 2026 Formula 1 challenger.
Rainy and chaotic weather at Silverstone made race day particularly demanding. Hamilton, known for his strong performances at this circuit, managed a fourth-place finish after losing control of his car following a pit stop, costing him a potential podium placement. While not a disappointing result outright, it fell short of his ambitions.
Key adjustments Hamilton seeks for Ferrari’s performance boost
Hamilton’s experience throughout the British Grand Prix offered valuable insights into what he requires from the Ferrari SF-25 moving forward. The primary aim is to achieve consistent balance and improved handling, especially at low speeds. As he explained, he wants
“a car that turns at low speed. Just a more stable car.”
The lack of stability remains a major challenge shared by Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc. Without the confidence to apply full power, both drivers face limitations in racing aggressively. Despite these setbacks, recent updates introduced during the Austrian Grand Prix have sparked optimism within the team.
Reflecting on his recent performance, Hamilton noted,
“I think we were looking great through this weekend,”
adding,
“In practice, we were always right up there. Still weren’t able to fully extract everything in quali and then the race is a little bit harder, so that’s where I want to get stronger.”
He emphasized that while his driving hasn’t been poor, there remains room for significant improvement before the season concludes.
Hamilton’s perspective on race pressures and learning from wet conditions
He detailed the intense pressure he experienced during the race, stating,
“I was put under a lot of pressure. I had a chance on Lando into Turn 15, but they were just perfect.”
Following this moment, the drop-off in tire performance and the car’s difficult handling made keeping up challenging. Hamilton admitted,
“The car was unbelievably tricky to drive. I think ultimately, I learned a lot today. There’s lots to take from the day.”
He underscored that wet conditions remain a special challenge for the SF-25, saying,
“It’s only my second time driving in the wet in this car. I can’t even express to you how hard it is. It’s not a car that likes those conditions.”
Looking ahead, Hamilton plans to work closely with Ferrari’s engineering team, remarking,
“But as I said, having lots of data to take from this. For me, I might just sit down with the people that are designing the car for next year because there’s elements of this car that can go into the following year.”
Charles Leclerc hopes for performance gains through upcoming upgrades
Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc shares Hamilton’s desire for enhancements to the SF-25. When asked about his expectations for future Ferrari upgrades, Leclerc responded that the team is targeting
“performance, eventually. That’s the performance that we need.”
He confirmed that upcoming updates are designed to address specific weaknesses, especially in cornering phases, and expressed confidence in the development process, stating,
“I won’t go too much into detail, but again, I think there are some weaknesses; we’ve identified them, and we’ll try and fix them as soon as possible.”
Despite it being early in the process, Leclerc noted the team’s urgency:
“I know that everybody’s pushing very hard production-wise, to try and give us upgrades as soon as possible. If they are here, I hope it can help us to do a significant step.”
Implications for Ferrari’s 2026 campaign and season prospects
Hamilton’s demands for Ferrari SF-25 improvements reflect a serious and contemplative approach to overcoming current setbacks. Both him and Leclerc seek a more stable and powerful package to unlock the car’s potential as they prepare for upcoming races and the design of next year’s car. With upgrades already underway, positive developments could help Ferrari close the gap to their rivals.
The collaboration between Hamilton, Leclerc, and the Ferrari technical staff underscores the intricate balance between driver feedback and engineering innovation, which will likely shape Ferrari’s competitiveness in both the 2024 season and the 2026 championship fight.