Lewis Hamilton arrives at the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend facing a significant test of his value at Ferrari, as the race marks the 14th event of the 2025 Formula 1 calendar. Renowned for his strong record at Hungaroring, with eight wins there including one in 2013 before Mercedes dominated, Hamilton is under pressure to deliver solid performances after a difficult start to his stint with Ferrari.

While Hamilton has adapted over the early part of the season, his results have fallen short compared to his teammate Charles Leclerc, who has maintained a clear upper hand. With Ferrari and fans watching closely, the Hungarian GP emerges as a decisive moment to assess Hamilton’s progress and consistency with his new team.

Season midway point highlights pressure on Hamilton’s development

Although the official halfway mark passed before the Hungarian GP, this race is the last before the summer break, intensifying its impact on evaluating driver form. Earlier discussions centered largely on Hamilton’s adjustment period, acknowledging that adapting to a new team and car can take time. However, after 14 races, expectations are naturally higher for a seven-time world champion in a top team like Ferrari.

Other drivers who have switched teams this season, such as Carlos Sainz at Williams, Nico Hulkenberg, and Esteban Ocon, have faced similar learning phases without publicly fixating on struggles. For Hamilton, who carries a high profile and significant contract, not matching his teammate’s pace regularly raises questions about his adaptation.

The weekend at Spa notably failed to show that Hamilton could outperform Leclerc, making Hungary a critical moment for demonstrating his competitiveness before the season pause.

Continued challenges parallel Hamilton’s recent career trajectory

The current ground effect era in F1 has proven difficult for Hamilton, whose style has not meshed well with the new car dynamics, contributing to a less successful recent period. His final two seasons with Mercedes featured weaker qualifying results followed by efforts to recover through races, a trend that has persisted after moving to Ferrari.

This year, Hamilton’s qualifying struggles remain evident, and his race pace has also diminished compared to previous seasons. Persistent concerns have been voiced about the car’s handling and setup, continuing a pattern from his Mercedes days where “experimental” configurations complicated his performance.

For a driver nearing 40 years old, being caught in this recurring performance loop is a serious issue, as physical and mental demands intensify with age.

Widening performance gap to teammate Charles Leclerc

Despite some setbacks such as a disqualification in China and strategic errors in Imola, Charles Leclerc has maintained a strong upper hand over Hamilton during the 2025 season. While Leclerc has not delivered a flawless campaign, his lead in points is substantial—exceeding the value of a race win—highlighting the competitive edge Hamilton has yet to consistently match.

In fact, Hamilton has only definitively outpaced Leclerc once during this season’s race weekends. Given the investment Ferrari has made in Hamilton, expectations for more frequent top performances remain high among the team and observers.

Hungaroring: a proven ground where Hamilton usually excels

The Hungaroring circuit is one of Hamilton’s most successful venues, where he has historically demonstrated exceptional skill by securing eight victories. What makes his record here notable is that these wins include races where he drove less dominant cars, marking the track as a personal stronghold.

This weekend’s race presents Hamilton with an ideal environment to showcase his talent and make a compelling case for his Ferrari future. Delivering a standout result at a track where he has thrived in the past could help counterbalance concerns about his earlier season difficulties.

Outlook for Hamilton’s trajectory at Ferrari post-Hungary

Lewis Hamilton’s introduction to Ferrari has been turbulent, with some early low points in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, although incremental progress has been noticeable since. Despite these improvements, the performance gap between him and Leclerc remains wide, emphasizing the urgency for Hamilton to raise his consistency.

With the adaptation narrative losing weight after 14 races, the Hungarian GP will be closely analyzed as a benchmark for Hamilton. Success here would reinforce his value to Ferrari and build momentum heading into the second half of the season, while a poor showing could increase pressure on both driver and team in the months ahead.