FERRARI NIGHTMARE! LEWIS HAMILTON FINISHED 2025 WITHOUT A PODIUM AS MERCEDES WINS LOOM AHEAD
Lewis Hamilton’s first Ferrari season ends with zero podiums and a P6 finish. Is the 2026 Mercedes engine his biggest threat?
Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari? It's been a total disaster in the 2025 F1 season.
The real kicker? It could sting even more if Mercedes, the team he left, starts winning in F1 2026.
Is Lewis Hamilton regretting his Ferrari choice?
Tough call.
Calling it a mistake ignores his reasons for leaving Mercedes back then.
Basically, he wanted to ditch the Abu Dhabi 2021 vibes, get away from Mercedes' underperforming years, get a fresh start, and change the mood at the end of his career.
He was searching for something more, wanting to try Ferrari before quitting F1.
Love him or hate him, there was something cool about a top athlete following his heart near the end of his career and finally going after a long-time dream.
It hasn't gone as planned, mainly because the car trouble he had at Mercedes—a flawed design from the start—is the same problem he's facing at Ferrari.
So, it seems like he's the problem.
Why not? The same issues followed him from team to team, car to car.
Basically, there were many reasons—not all about winning—for Hamilton signing with Ferrari in late 2023/early 2024.
Judging it just by race results—though that's the main thing—ignores why he even wanted to drive for Ferrari.
So, from that angle, maybe he doesn't regret it.
But what about his dream to win that eighth title?
That's where it gets tricky.
Leaving Mercedes after two losing seasons in 2022/23 seems a bit quick, especially now that 2026 and the new rules are coming.
Who knows? Maybe Ferrari will nail the new rules next season. Maybe.
But it sounds like Mercedes might, with rumours saying they're getting ready for 2026 earlier than others.
Hamilton has said more than once this season that he wants to end his Ferrari stint well and not be like Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, champs who didn't win the title with Ferrari.
The thing is, Fernando and Seb started okay at Ferrari.
Alonso and Ferrari were good until he lost the title at Abu Dhabi in 2010, and he never really got over it.
Vettel, though, was doomed from the start since the bosses who hired him were gone when he arrived.
But his three wins in 2015 were a good start before things went downhill after a tough 2016 season.
Hamilton's Ferrari time, however, has been rough since the SF-25 came out in February, and he's already at his breaking point.
The fact that they seem annoyed with each other so early suggests this can't be fixed.
Maybe Hamilton's real mistake was not admitting that his only shot at an eighth title was gone in the mess of Abu Dhabi 2021.
If he'd been more real with himself—admitted he's getting older and just wanted a blast in the red car and then sayonara, as Mark Webber said about Vettel in 2014—instead of focusing on another title, this would be easier for everyone.
The worst thing for him now?
Watching Mercedes, the car he left, win the title with George Russell driving next season.
Now that would be the ultimate insult.
Think Hamilton regrets his Ferrari move now? Just wait until 2026.
GEORGE RUSSELL ADMITS ANTONELLI IS "EXCEPTIONALLY QUICK" BUT REFUSES TO CONCEDE TITLE
Kimi Antonelli secured his 3rd straight F1 win in Miami, leaving George Russell 43 seconds behind and 20 points down in the title race. (130 chars)
George Russell isn’t flinching. He’s not ready to let go of the story, even as Kimi Antonelli keeps grabbing headlines. Antonelli’s been tearing it up this season – three straight wins, all from pole – and it’s got people talking. Miami was rough for Russell; he finished fourth, over 43 seconds behind Antonelli. That gap isn’t just big; it’s glaring, and it’s putting some real heat on their rivalry at Mercedes.
Russell isn’t pretending things are fine, but he’s not throwing in the towel either. He gets what Antonelli’s doing and gives props where they’re deserved. “He’s a fantastic driver, and he’s been fast since day one,” Russell said. “You don’t win all those championships as a kid if you’re not quick.” He means it, but he’s also drawing a boundary. Russell still believes in himself, and he’s not giving up on the championship.
“I’ve still got confidence in myself, and I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” he said with a little smile. “It’s just a tricky patch, but we’re only four races in; there’s a lot more to come. We’ll sort things out over the next few weeks.”
That “tricky patch” doesn’t just mean some tough luck; it includes a 20-point deficit and a teammate who won’t stop rewriting history. Antonelli’s winning streak has changed the vibe at Mercedes, at least for now.
Russell knows all about momentum and how it doesn’t always stick around. “He’s got momentum right now; he’s flying,” Russell admitted. “But I’ve won championships myself, and I know momentum swings back and forth all year.” He actually doesn’t seem bothered by the points gap. “Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it,” he said.
It’s a calm answer from a guy who’s been here before, leaning on experience while Antonelli rides his hot streak. Russell keeps saying 'big picture, patience, not panic'.
“I just want to get back on top of the podium,” he said. “I had the pace for the first three races, but this weekend I was nowhere close. It could have gone very differently these last few weeks, and this weekend could’ve just been a blip. But some races in Japan and China didn’t go my way. That’s how F1 goes sometimes.”
Still, confidence doesn’t erase a 20-point gap, not if Antonelli keeps cruising. If Antonelli keeps piling up wins, Russell’s going to have to fight more than just the stopwatch. Losing to your teammate over and over starts to mess with your head. Russell began the season as the guy to beat, but the longer this keeps up, the tougher it gets to grab hold of the story again.
He’s holding firm, for now. But F1 doesn’t wait for anyone. What does Russell call “just a tricky run”? Well, if momentum doesn’t swing his way soon, it could become a whole lot more than that.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES FRONT ROW IN MIAMI AS RED BULL UPGRADES DELIVER IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Charles Leclerc admitted surprise at Red Bull's pace after Max Verstappen finished P2, just 0.166s behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc expected Red Bull to bounce back, but he couldn’t help admiring Max Verstappen’s raw speed at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull rolled into Miami with a big upgrade, looking to recover after a rough start to the season. Verstappen, a four-time world champ, landed his Red Bull in second during qualifying. He was only 0.166 seconds behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, nearly snatching pole. After qualifying, Verstappen said he finally feels like he’s back in control of his car.
Leclerc was impressed by the turnaround. “Honestly, it’s not shocking to see Kimi up there. Mercedes has been the quickest team this year, and Kimi’s been amazing these last few races,” Leclerc said. “But Max and Red Bull are coming back like this? That’s a bit more surprising. The upgrades clearly worked, and you can’t forget how strong that team really is. You never expect them to just sit back and accept a slow start.”
He added, “We figured they’d come back swinging, but to see them right back on the front row after struggling at the start… that’s something else. It’s pretty remarkable. Still, my job’s the same: beat those guys. That’s where my head’s at right now.”
Leclerc had to settle for third on the grid for Sunday’s race. Ferrari looked strong early in qualifying, but their hopes faded by Q3.
He talked about the changing conditions, but didn’t think that’s what hurt Ferrari. “The wind definitely played a part, but track temperature wasn’t all that different, so I don’t think that’s the reason,” he said. “Maybe the track changed, and we didn’t see it coming, or maybe pushing harder today in qualifying just made our car’s weak spots stand out more.”
Leclerc admitted he hadn’t dug into the numbers yet; he’d just gotten out of the car. “We’ll have to check the details to figure out exactly where we lost time.”
