Coulthard issues brutal verdict on Hamilton's stint at Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton’s long-awaited debut season with Ferrari hasn’t unfolded the way many fans — or the driver himself — might have hoped. And now, with twelve races gone in the 2025 Formula 1 season, former F1 driver David Coulthard has offered a blunt yet insightful take on what’s gone wrong so far.
Speaking for the official Formula One website after the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, Coulthard remarked:“Silverstone felt more comfortable. Up until Silverstone, and putting China to one side, it’s felt uncomfortable watching Lewis there. He hasn’t looked as quick as Charles [Leclerc].”
And indeed, the numbers and performances back him up. While Hamilton has shown glimpses of brilliance — most notably with a Sprint race win in China and a strong drive to P4 at Silverstone — he’s consistently struggled to match the pace and precision of teammate Charles Leclerc.
In the opening phase of the season, Leclerc has been Ferrari’s leading light. He’s scored four podium finishes and delivered a masterclass on home soil in Monaco, narrowly missing out on victory. Hamilton, on the other hand, has yet to step on the podium, despite scoring points in nearly every race. His highest finishes so far have been a pair of fourth places, and in qualifying, Leclerc has frequently outpaced him.
Hamilton himself has been honest about the difficulties. He admitted that adapting to the Ferrari SF-25 has been harder than expected, describing the early rounds as “not enjoyable at all” and drawing comparisons to the steep learning curve he experienced in his rookie season at McLaren. The car’s behaviour — particularly its rear-end instability and lack of grip in slow corners — has proven tricky for him to master.
Ferrari has worked intensively to address these issues, including a series of private tests at Mugello aimed at improving rear suspension balance and overall consistency. The Silverstone weekend did offer a glimmer of progress. Hamilton looked more in tune with the car and fought confidently in front of the home crowd, but one good weekend isn’t yet enough to shift the narrative of a challenging start.
Coulthard’s comments reflect what many observers have noted — while Leclerc seems able to drive around the SF-25’s weaknesses, Hamilton is still searching for confidence. It’s an unfamiliar position for the seven-time world champion, who is used to leading from the front, not playing catch-up.
With ten races remaining and a long summer break ahead, Ferrari will be hoping that recent developments can help unlock the car’s potential for both drivers. But for now, the internal benchmark is clear — and Hamilton still has work to do to match Leclerc’s level.
The big question is whether Silverstone was the beginning of a turnaround, or just a brief moment of comfort in an otherwise uneasy campaign.
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