The Spanish Grand Prix was meant to be a chance for Ferrari to build on their promising performance in Monaco. But for Lewis Hamilton, it proved to be another difficult chapter in a challenging season, culminating in a deeply disappointing sixth-place finish at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Starting fifth, Hamilton initially made progress, but it quickly became clear he didn’t have the pace of his teammate, Charles Leclerc. Early on, Ferrari issued the team order for Hamilton to move aside, a familiar sight this year. As the race wore on, Hamilton continued to struggle, eventually dropping behind both Mercedes cars during the pitstop phase and losing another position to Nico Hulkenberg late before a penalty for Max Verstappen shuffled him back up to sixth.
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Lewis Hamilton puts all the blame on himself
Appearing during the post-race media availability, Lewis Hamilton looked dour and beaten. His struggles at Ferrari and so far during the 2025 F1 season have begun to take a toll on him.
“It was a difficult day, there’s nothing else to add to it, it was terrible,” Hamilton said. “There’s no point explaining it, it’s not your fault, I just don’t know what else to say.”
Hamilton didn’t throw his team under the bus nor claim anything could be done. He seemed resigned to the point that nothing could be done to improve his or Ferrari’s performance. When asked what could be done by Ferrari to improve results in the future, or if they could, his answer was blunt.
“I’m sure they won’t – it was probably just me,” Hamilton said.
Lewis Hamilton’s demeanor points to the level of frustration the seven-time world champion must be feeling. It’s not new, but things certainly aren’t getting better for him and the Scuderia.
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Is it Hamilton, the car or both?
While Team Principal Frederic Vasseur hinted there was “an issue on the car the last stint, before the Safety Car,” honing in on what the overall issue is isn’t as easy. While Hamilton was quick to blame himself as a driver, other observers point to continued trouble with the SF-25.
This weekend’s performance feels like a continuation of the struggles that have plagued Lewis Hamilton since joining Ferrari. While Leclerc managed to snatch a podium late in the race thanks to a Safety Car, even he admitted Ferrari needed to take another “step” as a team.
The SF-25 car itself has faced criticism, including from former teammate and world champion Nico Rosberg.
“The worst car is the Ferrari,” Rosberg said Sunday. “Poor Lewis Hamilton. That car is a handful.”
Rosberg pointed out that the car exhibits the largest understeer and the most pronounced snap oversteer. He noted Lewis Hamilton had a lot of understeer during the Spanish GP and he could see the movement on the steering wheel. All point to set up issues.
Ferrari continues to battle setup issues, a narrow operating window, and an unresponsive rear end, problems that a single upgrade package is unlikely to resolve.
For Hamilton, this race was a stark reminder that his hopes for a better season aren’t materializing yet. The promise of a strong race in Spain faded quickly, leaving him searching for answers and expressing profound disappointment. It’s a tough period for the British driver as he navigates these challenges with his new team.
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