Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has admitted the Scuderia might have underestimated the problems facing seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton following his arrival for the 2025 Formula 1 season from Mercedes, Afrosport reports.
The 40-year-old British driver has struggled to adapt to the SF25 car and has been outclassed by teammate Charles Leclerc, who leads him by 42 points in the drivers’ championship.
Hamilton is yet to stand on the podium after 14 races for Ferrari, with his best result being pole position and a race win during the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race in March.
“I think perhaps that we underestimate the challenge for Lewis at the beginning of the season,” Vasseur told the F1 website.
“He spent almost 10 years with McLaren and then 10 years with Mercedes – that’s almost 20 years with Mercedes in the same environment.
“It was a huge change for Lewis in terms of culture, in terms of people around him, in terms of software, in terms of car, in terms of every single topic was a big change, perhaps that we underestimate this, Lewis and myself.
“But I’m very, very pleased because the last four or five races he was back into the pace.”
Back home for the summer 🇮🇹🏡 pic.twitter.com/1kcHCK4fJz
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) August 8, 2025
The F1 paddock is currently on the mandatory mid-season break and will resume with the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort on August 31.
