Lewis Hamilton will start from the 12th position on the grid for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton thinks Ferrari should emulate Red Bull and McLaren in achieving performance gains from their upgrades, citing Max Verstappen as an example.
Both Hamilton and his teammate Charles Leclerc were eliminated in Q2 at Imola, marking a disgraceful double exit for Ferrari at their home event, as the SF-25 turned out to be a challenging car to extract performance from.
Hamilton believed that starting from 12th could be challenging in the “DRS train,” yet he noted that the Ferrari’s inherent speed was impressive, as he described, with McLaren and Red Bull having a considerable edge.
This circuit isn’t ideal for racing; it’s enjoyable for a single lap, but when it comes to overtaking, you’ll find yourself in a DRS train, leading to limited action.
“From a strategy perspective, we’ll aim to isolate them, and I believe the race pace might be strong, but we have improved this weekend, yet it’s still not at the required level.”
“We require additional enhancements; it’s essential to begin increasing performance.” I mean, check out Max’s back end; it hardly shifts, he’s going about 6-10kph faster than us at Turn 2, and we can’t keep up.
“The situation is similar with McLaren, so we must continue to push and maintain pressure, and I trust the team can discover some performance.”
Hamilton’s remarks come as a wake-up call to Ferrari, who had high hopes for their home race at Imola but fell drastically short in qualifying. With both drivers failing to make it into Q3, the team’s lack of progress was clearly on display. For a team that began the season aiming to challenge Red Bull’s dominance, the reality has been far from ideal.
The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was expected to be a showcase of Ferrari’s latest upgrades, yet the performance gap remains evident. Red Bull and McLaren continue to raise their levels, introducing updates that translate to tangible gains on track, while Ferrari is still searching for answers.
Hamilton, despite driving for Mercedes, was candid in his assessment of the current pecking order. His comments highlighted the stability and grip of Verstappen’s Red Bull RB20, particularly through high-speed corners like Turn 2. Hamilton pointed out that Verstappen’s car remains planted while carrying more speed — a clear indicator of aerodynamic efficiency and overall balance.
“The back end of Max’s car doesn’t even move,” Hamilton noted. “We’re sliding, losing time, and even with clean laps, we just can’t match the pace.”
He also acknowledged that McLaren has made similar strides. The Woking-based outfit has recently found consistency and pace, especially with Lando Norris showing strong form since their upgrade package was introduced.
Hamilton’s frustration is not unique. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who has often carried the weight of expectations at home races, also failed to progress beyond Q2. The crowd at Imola, filled with Tifosi, were left disappointed as neither red car lined up in the top ten.
The former world champion offered a glimmer of hope, however, suggesting that race pace might be slightly more competitive than one-lap speed — though overtaking at Imola remains a significant challenge. The circuit’s narrow layout and fast corners often create a processional race, with cars stuck in a “DRS train,” unable to make real moves unless aided by strategy or errors ahead.
Strategic decisions, tire management, and any incidents on track could play a critical role in Ferrari’s chances to salvage something from the weekend. Still, Hamilton was clear that without major performance improvements, even strong race strategy may not be enough to overcome the top-tier teams.
Looking forward, Hamilton encouraged Ferrari to focus on their development direction and continue applying pressure. He noted that while progress has been made, it is not sufficient to challenge for wins or podiums consistently. The SF-25 has potential, but unless the team finds a way to unleash it, results like this may continue.
As the season progresses, the margin for error shrinks, and the urgency to extract more from the car intensifies. Ferrari will need to respond quickly if they hope to turn their fortunes around — and Hamilton’s comments might just serve as the spark they need to push harder.
