Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari ‘conflict’ emerges as Steiner awards special status

Former F1 team boss Guenther Steiner sees a “conflict” at times between the brands that are Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari.

In Steiner’s opinion, Hamilton is the only example of a Formula 1 driver who is bigger than his team, Steiner not awarding Max Verstappen that status at Red Bull due to a perceived lack of presence outside of Formula 1.

Do the Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari brands clash?

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

There was huge excitement when Hamilton arrived at Ferrari for F1 2025 is a blockbuster move from Mercedes, Formula 1’s most successful driver and team joining forces as Hamilton chases a record eighth World Championship.

But it is an alliance which is still waiting for a spark.

Hamilton is yet to score a podium result while team-mate Charles Leclerc has four in what has been an underwhelming season for Ferrari.

Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com after finishing fourth at Silverstone in the wet, Hamilton gave a blunt assessment of the Ferrari SF-25.

“It was the most difficult car I’ve driven here,” he said.

“It’s only my second time driving in the wet in this car and I can’t even express to you how hard it is.

“It’s not a car that likes those conditions, but lots of data to take from this.

“I might have to sit down with the people that are designing the car for next year because there’s elements of this car that cannot go into the following year.”

It is not the first time that Hamilton has made his difficulties gelling with Ferrari machinery public, while his relationship with race engineer Riccardo Adami has also been under the spotlight due to several tense exchanges and apparent breakdowns in communication.

Appearing on the Business of Sport podcast, Steiner said he sees “conflict” at times between Hamilton and Ferrari due to the brand Hamilton has become in his own right, giving him unique power in Steiner’s opinion as the only F1 driver who is “above” his team.

An F1 icon, Hamilton is also highly active in projects outside of the sport including film, fashion and charity work.

“I think in Formula 1, the only one above a team is Lewis Hamilton,” said Steiner.

“His presence, his stature, it is very big. Outside of the sport as well. You’re big in the sport, but then when you get big outside of the sport, you’re bigger than the actual team.

“It’s the same in football it happens. I think in Formula 1, the only one that can claim that is Lewis in the moment.

“I think Max is very big in the sport, but he doesn’t work on being somebody outside of the sport, because for him, his life is racing cars, while Lewis has got another thing as well what he wants to achieve in life.

“And I think we see it now with Lewis at Ferrari, they are two huge brands together and it’s almost sometimes a conflict.

“Who is bigger: Ferrari or Lewis?”

Latest F1 2025 head-to-head standings

👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between team-mates

👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates

Asked if he would have signed Hamilton if he were calling the shots at Ferrari, Steiner replied: “No, because I don’t think Ferrari needs that. That’s my opinion.

“I think it’s a cool story, to be honest, a seven-time World Champion going to Ferrari.

“Ferrari was doing good. But I think we put the expectations so high, so now we got a little bit the expectations were not fulfilled. We are a little bit, ‘Oh, this doesn’t work’, and now we are depressed about it.”

Hamilton sits P6 in the Drivers’ Championship standings after 12 rounds of F1 2025, a position and 16 points behind Leclerc.

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