Lewis Hamilton has issued a stark warning to Ferrari after describing his SF-25 as “the most difficult car I’ve driven in these conditions” during a challenging wet-dry British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
The seven-time world champion finished fourth in his home race, ending his remarkable 12-year streak of podium finishes at the iconic circuit.
Unprecedented Struggles in Changing Conditions
The British Grand Prix presented Hamilton with only his second opportunity to drive the Ferrari in wet conditions since joining the team at the start of 2025.
The race began on a damp track that dried briefly before a heavy rain shower hit, creating treacherous conditions that exposed fundamental issues with the SF-25’s handling characteristics.
“The car was unbelievably tricky to drive,” Hamilton explained after the race.
“I think ultimately I learned a lot today, there’s lots to take from the day.”
The 40-year-old veteran, who has won a record nine times at Silverstone, struggled to keep pace with the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, as well as surprise podium finisher Nico Hulkenberg in the Sauber.
Critical Design Flaws Exposed
“It’s only my second time driving in the wet in this car. I can’t even express to you how hard it is,” Hamilton told media after the race.
“It’s not a car that likes those conditions.”
The difficulties weren’t limited to the wet portions of the race. Even as the track dried, Hamilton continued to struggle with the car’s unpredictable behavior.
“Not particularly,” he said when asked if the car improved in drier conditions.
“A little bit more when it was fully dry at the end. But even then you saw I went wide and then it snapped and spun at Turn 11. Lots of mistakes today.”
Urgent Call for 2026 Changes
Perhaps most concerning for Ferrari was Hamilton’s blunt assessment that certain characteristics of the current car must not carry over to next year’s challenger.
“For me, it’s important to sit down with the people that are designing the car for next year,” Hamilton stated.
“Because there’s elements of this car that cannot go into the following year.”
This stark warning comes at a critical time as Ferrari prepares for the major regulation changes coming in 2026.
Hamilton’s vast experience and success in various conditions make his input invaluable for the team’s future direction.
Team Struggles Compound Issues
Hamilton wasn’t alone in his struggles. Teammate Charles Leclerc endured an even more difficult race, finishing 14th after making the wrong call to switch to slick tires during the formation lap.
“We were kind of nowhere the whole race, and when I say nowhere it’s like really nowhere,” Leclerc admitted.
“I was a second off the pace and on top of that I was doing lots of mistakes. I was really struggling to keep the car on track so it was an incredibly difficult day.”
Team principal Frederic Vasseur acknowledged the widespread issues, particularly when running in traffic.
“The main issue we had today was that we struggled a lot when we were in the dirty air to overtake,” Vasseur explained.
Season Assessment at Halfway Point
The British Grand Prix marked the halfway point of Hamilton’s first season with Ferrari, and his assessment was characteristically honest.
“Not spectacular,” Hamilton said when asked about his season so far.
“I finished every race, other than the disqualification, so I’m not driving that terribly.”
The seven-time champion’s wait for his first podium with Ferrari now extends to 13 races, his longest drought since entering Formula 1.
“I just want to continue to improve. Qualifying was looking better and I think we just continue to build on that. I’m really hoping for some improvements moving forward.”
Looking Ahead
Despite the disappointment, Hamilton extracted valuable data from the challenging conditions at Silverstone.
His feedback will be crucial as Ferrari attempts to address the fundamental issues that make the SF-25 so difficult to drive in wet conditions.
With Hamilton’s experience and Ferrari’s resources, the team will be working urgently to ensure these problems don’t persist into their 2026 challenger.
As the season moves forward, all eyes will be on whether Ferrari can provide Hamilton with a car capable of fighting for podiums, particularly in the variable conditions that often define modern Formula 1 racing.
