Lewis Hamilton ‘can’t find an answer’ with ‘double life’ under scrutiny
Lewis Hamilton has had an underwhelming start to his Ferrari career
Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton is “living a sort of double life” with his performance level no longer matching the status of a seven-time F1 World Champion.
That is the opinion of former Ferrari driver Ivan Capelli, who says Hamilton has lost “the smile he had in his eyes” at Ferrari.
Lewis Hamilton ‘living a sort of double life’ at Ferrari
Hamilton has had an underwhelming first season with Ferrari following his blockbuster move from Mercedes for the F1 2025 season.
The 40-year-old has failed to register a podium finish across his first 14 appearances for his new team, with Hamilton struggling to adapt to his new surroundings.
Hamilton cut a dejected figure at the Hungarian Grand Prix, the final race before the F1 2025 summer break, where he could only manage 12th in qualifying as team-mate Charles Leclerc stormed to pole position.
Lewis Hamilton vs Charles Leclerc: Ferrari head-to-head scores for F1 2025
👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between team-mates
👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates
After repeatedly referring to himself as “useless”, Hamilton suggested that Ferrari should consider replacing him.
He briefly raised doubts over his participation in the rest of the F1 2025 season by commenting that he would “hopefully” be back when the season resumes at this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, before insisting that “the fight’s not over – don’t count me out.”
Hamilton also hinted at potential trouble behind the scenes at Ferrari in Budapest, adding: “There’s a lot going on in the background that’s not great.”
Capelli made 93 F1 starts between 1985 and 1993, spending the penultimate season of his career with Ferrari in 1992.
And the Italian fears the realisation is dawning on Hamilton that he can no longer compete at the sharp end, with the former Mercedes driver struggling to “find an answer” to his woes.
Capelli told Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport: “Lewis Hamilton? He is living a sort of double life.
“Away from the track he is the usual Hamilton, the seven-time world champion we know, but once in the car he can’t find an answer to his driving problems.”
“I saw him lose the smile he had in his eyes.
“What was his strength, which was to take the team by the hand in difficult moments, he can no longer do it.
“And he has now realised it. Especially with such a fast team-mate next to him.”
More on Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari from PlanetF1.com
Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com at last month’s Belgian Grand Prix, Hamilton revealed that he has submitted a series of “documents” to Ferrari as he seeks to turn his situation around.
A report in Italy over the summer break claimed that Hamilton’s suggestions include proposed changes to the car, working methods, communication between different departments at the factory in Maranello and the execution of race weekends.
It also emerged that Ferrari’s engine braking system remains a major ‘complication’ in Hamilton’s efforts to adjust to the SF-25 car.
It is thought that Ferrari’s engine braking, combined with an upgraded set of Brembo discs and pads, contributed to Hamilton’s strange spin in sprint qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix, after which he pointed to a mysterious new component on his car.
It is said that specific characteristics of Ferrari’s engine braking mean that Hamilton continues to lack the feel under braking he enjoyed at Mercedes.
He has reportedly requested information about Ferrari’s power unit for the new F1 2026 rules in the hope that the issue can be resolved for good ahead of next season.
Mercedes is also known to use Brembo rival Carbon Industrie, with the challenge of adapting to Brembo brakes at Ferrari proving another hurdle for Hamilton.
Read next: Bold predictions as F1 2025 resumes: Hamilton engineer swap, Russell to Red Bull, Colapinto out
