Lewis Hamilton Stays Positive Despite Worst Ferrari Season in Recent Memory

Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton remained resolutely optimistic about his future with Ferrari despite labelling his debut 2025 season a "nightmare" following a double retirement for the team at the São Paulo Grand Prix on November 9, 2025. Both Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc were forced out early at Interlagos—Leclerc on lap six after front suspension damage from a collision involving Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli and McLaren's Oscar Piastri, while Hamilton limped on for 38 laps with severe floor damage before retiring. The Briton, an honorary Brazilian citizen and three-time winner at the circuit, endured a chaotic opening lap with contacts against Williams' Carlos Sainz—whom he replaced at Ferrari—and Alpine's Franco Colapinto, earning a five-second penalty and extensive underbody damage that rendered his SF-25 undriveable.

"It's a nightmare—I've been living it for a while," Hamilton told reporters post-race, highlighting the stark contrast between the dream of driving for the iconic Scuderia and the harsh reality of results. Yet the 40-year-old emphasised resilience: "Tomorrow I'll get back up... I truly still believe in this team and what we can achieve. I just have to keep pushing and never give up." He pointed to Leclerc's strong qualifying as evidence of underlying pace, adding, "There is some performance in our car... I believe there is something extraordinary up ahead in my life and in my destiny."

The disastrous weekend compounded Ferrari's struggles with the SF-25, which failed to build on late-2024 momentum, dropping the team to fourth in the constructors' standings behind McLaren, Mercedes, and Red Bull. Hamilton extended his unwanted record to 21 Grand Prix starts without a podium in Ferrari colours—the longest such drought in the team's history—despite an early sprint win in China proving a false dawn. Sitting sixth in the drivers' championship, 66 points adrift of Leclerc, Hamilton bemoaned radio frustrations, including calling stewards "a complete joke" over the penalty.

Also Read: Lewis Hamilton Demands Transparency and Accountability from FIA over Controversial Decisions

As McLaren's Lando Norris claimed victory to extend his title lead, Ferrari left Brazil scoreless, intensifying pressure ahead of the final triple-header starting in Las Vegas. Hamilton, however, focused on recovery: "We are really having to fight through those hardships... I'll come back as strong as I can in the next race." His unwavering faith in the project's potential underscores a champion's mindset amid one of the most challenging chapters of his illustrious career.

Also Read: Lewis Hamilton Demands Transparency and Accountability from FIA over Controversial Decisions