Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari have found themselves under renewed scrutiny following another difficult weekend, with the seven-time world champion facing a growing gap to the championship leader and questions surrounding the Scuderia’s direction.
The latest developments come after a disappointing Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where Hamilton could only finish sixth despite Ferrari showing stronger pace during parts of the weekend. Hamilton had qualified in the same position after expressing frustration with Ferrari’s strategy in Q3, particularly after the team changed its original plan and left him without a tow on his final run.
The result has added to concerns about Ferrari’s ability to consistently challenge Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren during the remainder of the 2026 campaign. Hamilton had entered the season with hopes of mounting a serious championship challenge after securing his maiden Ferrari victory in Barcelona, but his momentum has since slowed considerably.
Hamilton is now more than 100 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli, while Ferrari have struggled to convert promising performances into regular podium finishes. The situation became particularly difficult in Madrid, where Hamilton retired with a brake problem, while the team also endured a troubled home race at Monza.
There have also been reports of tension surrounding Ferrari’s internal operations. Italian media previously claimed that Hamilton had pushed for changes among key members of the team, although the British driver publicly rejected those reports and moved to clarify his position.
Adding another layer of uncertainty is the situation surrounding team principal Fred Vasseur. Speculation about his future intensified after Christian Horner publicly discussed Ferrari and described leading the Italian outfit as a dream opportunity. Vasseur has since expressed frustration with the continuing speculation, insisting that his focus remains on improving Ferrari’s performance.
For Hamilton, however, the immediate priority is likely to be finding a way to recover momentum. The 2026 season still has several races remaining, giving Ferrari and its star driver opportunities to close the gap and finish the campaign strongly.
Despite the setbacks, Hamilton has continued to emphasize his commitment to Ferrari and the work required to extract more from the package.
The latest developments therefore represent another challenging chapter in Hamilton’s Ferrari journey—but not necessarily the end of his hopes of turning the season around.
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