George Russell suggested that Lewis Hamilton’s challenges at Ferrari might stem from the seven-time F1 champion overexerting himself.
Russell was Hamilton’s teammate for three years at Mercedes and took over as team leader after the 40-year-old switched to Ferrari at the beginning of this year.
Other than a Sprint pole and victory in China, Hamilton has mostly had a tough time with Ferrari and was especially pessimistic after the Spanish GP, where he finished sixth.
Hamilton has not yet obtained a grand prix podium with Ferrari, achieving a top finish of fourth at Imola, prompting Russell to suggest that Hamilton might be pushing too hard to match his Mercedes performance.
“I believe that being a seven-time world champion means anything short of winning is a failure,” Russell shared with the press, including RacingNews365.
“You might be driving yourself and your team excessively to surpass expectations, striving for outstanding outcomes, which could be counterproductive.”
Russell’s comments come amid mounting scrutiny over Hamilton’s performance in red. The legendary Briton’s move to Ferrari was heralded as one of the most high-profile driver transfers in recent Formula 1 history. With great anticipation surrounding what many considered a career-defining chapter, expectations have been sky-high since the announcement. However, reality has proven far more sobering. Aside from a strong Sprint weekend in Shanghai, Hamilton has struggled to find consistency or challenge for podiums in the 2025 season.
“What I witnessed last year was that when he was at his best, he truly challenged me, and his driving was impressive; we observed it at Silverstone last year and again in China this year,” Russell continued.
The China performance in particular reminded fans and pundits alike of the brilliance Hamilton is capable of delivering. However, those flashes have been few and far between since he joined the Scuderia. At Ferrari, Hamilton has faced numerous challenges, including adapting to a new team structure, working with different engineers, and understanding the behavior of a car that has been tailored to a different driving philosophy than the one he spent years refining at Mercedes.
Russell’s insight offers a unique perspective into Hamilton’s current mindset. As a former teammate, he has witnessed firsthand how driven and meticulous the seven-time champion can be when striving for perfection. Yet in Russell’s view, this very intensity may be causing Hamilton to overreach in an environment where instant results are not easily achieved.
“For everyone here, unless you are currently in the orange car, the likelihood of winning is minimal, and for all of us, it is disheartening,” Russell remarked, referencing the dominant McLaren-Mercedes team currently leading the championship fight.
“I find it frustrating, and Charles [Leclerc] feels the same; he’s an excellent driver yet hasn’t had a chance at the championship since 2022, but that’s just how this sport is.”
Russell’s broader comment underscores the competitive limitations that most teams face under current Formula 1 regulations. Ferrari, despite being one of the sport’s most iconic and resourceful teams, continues to trail the front-runners. The combination of high expectations and limited progress has inevitably placed pressure on Hamilton, who is still adjusting to a new working culture while carrying the burden of his decorated legacy.
As the 2025 season continues, all eyes will remain on Hamilton to see whether he can turn his fortunes around and return to the form that defined his years at Mercedes. For now, Russell’s suggestion—that the champion’s own high standards might be working against him—offers a sobering but realistic view of the challenges even the sport’s greatest talents can face when the machinery isn’t up to par.
