The roar of the Tifosi, a sea of red in the stands, the prancing horse emblem on his chest—this was the dream Lewis Hamilton chased when he made the monumental decision to join Scuderia Ferrari. It was meant to be the glorious final chapter for a seven-time world champion, a chance to restore glory to motorsport’s most iconic team. Yet, as the 2025 season unfolds, the dream is curdling into a waking nightmare, not just for Hamilton, but for the millions who bleed Ferrari red. A string of uncharacteristic errors, public admonishments, and the resurfacing of old, deep-seated issues within the team have ignited a firestorm of questions. Is Hamilton, the titan of the sport, finally showing cracks in his armor? Or is his struggle merely a high-profile symptom of a sickness that has plagued Maranello for years?

The alarm bells began ringing louder after a disastrous stretch before the summer break. The races in Belgium and Hungary were particularly brutal. Hamilton, a qualifying master, found himself shockingly knocked out early and finished outside the points—a result once unthinkable for a driver of his caliber . The struggles weren’t just isolated incidents; they were part of a disturbing pattern. At the Dutch Grand Prix, a crash saw him exit prematurely, and his weekend at Monza, Ferrari’s hallowed home turf, was compromised before it even began. A failure to slow under double yellow flags earned him a five-place grid penalty, a rookie-level mistake that left pundits and fans bewildered .

While Hamilton showcased his enduring talent by fighting back from 10th to finish sixth, the recovery drive couldn’t paper over the growing concerns . These weren’t the calculated, precise performances the world had come to expect. They were the frantic, sometimes clumsy, efforts of a driver pushing against a tide that seemed determined to pull him under. The pressure of wearing red, a weight that has crushed many champions before him, appeared to be taking its toll.

The scrutiny has been intense, and it hasn’t just come from the media. Former F1 driver and respected pundit Ralph Schumacher delivered a particularly sharp critique, warning that Hamilton’s repeated mistakes were not just costing valuable points but were also testing the notoriously fickle patience of the Tifosi . “He needs to be a bit more professional,” Schumacher stated, a pointed remark aimed at Hamilton’s vast experience. The implication was clear: a seven-time champion should be above such errors. The mistakes were seen as a betrayal of the standard he himself had set.

Even Hamilton’s own post-race comments have betrayed a growing frustration. In Monza, he openly lamented what he perceived as a missed strategic opportunity, believing the team could have secured him fifth place with a more aggressive undercut on his rival, George Russell . This subtle but significant critique pointed to a potential disconnect between the driver and the pit wall, a lack of the seamless synergy that defined his years of dominance at Mercedes.

For his part, Ferrari’s Team Principal, Fred Vasseur, has tried to project an image of calm and confidence. He publicly backed his star driver, insisting that Hamilton is on the cusp of his first podium with the team and praising his improving pace . But these reassurances have done little to quell the unease. The on-track results tell a different story. The grand partnership that was supposed to challenge for the 2025 championship has faltered badly. Instead of closing the gap, Ferrari has watched as rivals, particularly a resurgent McLaren, have surged past them in the constructor’s standings, leaving the Maranello outfit fighting in the midfield .

This is where the narrative shifts from the driver to the team itself. Hamilton’s struggles may be the most visible problem, but many believe he is simply the canary in the coal mine. The issues at Ferrari run deep, and they predate his arrival. Voicing this sentiment with thunderous authority is none other than former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, a man who presided over the team’s last golden era with Michael Schumacher.

In a scathing assessment, di Montezemolo diagnosed the core problem not as one of driver talent or engineering prowess, but of a profound lack of leadership. “Ferrari lacks a strong, determined soul,” he declared, his words echoing the frustrations of millions of fans . He painted a picture of a team adrift, an organization without a decisive figure at the helm to steer the ship through turbulent waters. He lamented the painful reality that, despite the unwavering passion of its global fanbase, the team hasn’t won a single race this season and has been out of genuine championship contention for far too long.

His critique cuts to the heart of the Ferrari paradox. The team possesses immense resources, state-of-the-art facilities, and two of the most talented drivers on the grid in Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. Yet, the whole is proving to be devastatingly less than the sum of its parts. Strategic blunders, inconsistent car performance, and an apparent inability to execute under pressure have become recurring themes. The arrival of a titan like Hamilton was supposed to be the final piece of the puzzle, the catalyst that would force the team to elevate its game. Instead, the team’s inherent weaknesses seem to be dragging him down.

The situation leaves fans and analysts to ponder a classic chicken-and-egg dilemma. Is Hamilton’s form deteriorating because of the dysfunctional environment at Ferrari? Or are his individual errors compounding the pressure and contributing to the team’s downward spiral? The truth likely lies somewhere in between. A driver’s confidence is intrinsically linked to their trust in the team, the car, and the strategy. When that trust erodes, hesitation and errors creep in. Conversely, a team looks to its lead driver for inspiration and direction. When that driver is struggling, it can send ripples of uncertainty throughout the entire organization.

As the season marches on, the pressure will only intensify. Every qualifying session, every pit stop, and every on-track battle will be scrutinized under a microscope. Can Hamilton rediscover the imperious form that made him a legend? Can Fred Vasseur impose the strong leadership that di Montezemolo claims is missing? Or will the 2025 season be remembered as the year the dream died, a cautionary tale of how even the greatest champions can be consumed by the immense, chaotic, and unforgiving world of Scuderia Ferrari? The final verdict remains unwritten, but one thing is certain: the world is watching, waiting to see if this historic partnership can be salvaged from the brink of disaster .