Lewis Hamilton entered the 2025 Formula 1 summer break following a miserable run of form, leaving Ferrari, fans, and pundits questioning the seven-time world champion’s adaptation to his new team. Fred Vasseur, Ferrari’s team principal, has revealed that Hamilton’s public self-criticism in the media has actually “made things worse” for the 40-year-old, who is navigating arguably the most challenging season of his entire F1 career.

At the Hungarian Grand Prix, Hamilton referred to himself as “useless” and even told Ferrari to “change driver” if they wanted better results. After 14 Grands Prix with the Scuderia, he is still chasing his first podium finish, while teammate Charles Leclerc sits 42 points ahead in the Drivers’ Championship, having already secured five top-three finishes.

Despite grim statistics, Hamilton’s performance has not been catastrophic. The struggles are largely due to fine margins combined with teething issues typical when adjusting to a new team, amplified by miserable weekends in Belgium and Hungary before the summer break.

Hamilton has often taken the blame in front of television cameras whenever things go wrong. Assessing the attitude of Ferrari’s marquee signing, Vasseur explained that Hamilton’s open, emotional approach to the media makes his struggles appear more dramatic than they really are.

“Stay calm. Build on the fact that he’s already taken the first step. Don’t let things like Budapest get him down. Lewis is very self-critical. He’s always extreme in his outbursts,” Vasseur told Auto Motor und Sport.

“Sometimes he’s too harsh on the car, sometimes on himself. He wants to get the most out of himself and everyone in the team. You have to calm him down and explain to him that in Q2, he was only a tenth behind the driver who later took pole position.

“That’s not a big deal. The message he sends out only makes things worse. He’s usually only that extreme with the press. By the time he gets to the briefing room, he’s usually calmed down again. That’s just his way.

“For me, it’s not a drama. He demands a lot. From others, but also from himself. I can live with that. Nico Hulkenberg was the same when he drove for me in Formula Three. He demanded an enormous amount from the team, but he was also on the mat every morning at 6:30 a.m.”

Fred Vasseur emphasized that Hamilton still has plenty of opportunities to prove himself after the summer break. In the fight for second place in the Constructors’ Championship, Mercedes is only 24 points behind Ferrari, showing that the competition remains intense. Personally, Hamilton will be desperate to end the year with at least one podium finish to his name.

Recent weeks have shown that Hamilton has yet to fully integrate with Ferrari. The change of environment, differences in strategy and team structure, combined with media pressure, have all contributed to his struggles. Vasseur believes that reducing tension, focusing on the small details, and rebuilding confidence will help Hamilton rediscover his peak performance.

Notably, Hamilton continues to demonstrate competitive speed in qualifying sessions, even if the final results don’t reflect it. “The results don’t fully reflect reality. He’s still making progress,” Vasseur added. “With focus, patience, and calm, Lewis can get back on track.”

While the numbers on paper may look discouraging, Hamilton’s adaptation to Ferrari requires time. After 18 years at McLaren and Mercedes, he is accustomed to a familiar environment with consistent engineering and a largely English-speaking team. The switch to Ferrari, a new culture with different technical approaches, has required adjustment—something Vasseur believes should be expected.

Hamilton’s struggles in 2025 have drawn comparisons to his early years at McLaren in 2009, where he also endured a challenging start. Even then, he rebounded to win two races after three point-scoring finishes in the first nine rounds. While repeat victories seem unlikely for Hamilton this year, Vasseur remains confident in his driver’s ability to adapt.

The summer break offers an important opportunity for reflection and recalibration. Hamilton must work on controlling his emotional responses, managing media interactions, and extracting the best from both himself and the team. With Leclerc leading the way, internal competition will push Hamilton to elevate his performance and make every race count.

Despite the difficulties, Hamilton remains one of the top drivers in the world. Vasseur believes that with the right guidance and support, Hamilton can leverage his talent in the remaining races of the 2025 season. The question for fans and pundits alike: can Lewis turn things around, or will this season mark one of the toughest in his legendary career? Time, strategy, and resilience will ultimately determine the outcome.