F1 Pundit Blames Lewis Hamilton for ‘Underestimating’ Ferrari challenge

Ex-F1 driver Christian Danner believes Lewis Hamilton’s woes at Ferrari are far worse than expected, as the Briton underestimated the challenges.

F1 Pundit Blames Lewis Hamilton for ‘Underestimating’ Ferrari challenge

Lewis Hamilton (via Getty)

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Lewis Hamilton has endured a very difficult debut with Ferrari in the 2025 season. The Briton is unable to perform well and has no results to boast about yet. Charles Leclerc, on the other hand, has beaten Hamilton by a decent margin. Hence, with the latter half of the season coming up, the seven-time champion must improve immediately. Speaking on the 40-year-old’s difficult outing with the Scuderia, ex-F1 driver Christian Danner issued a warning to the former.

Lewis Hamilton hasn’t hesitated to accept his shortcomings at Ferrari, with the most recent Hungarian GP seeming to be his breaking point. The 40-year-old has also talked about the unexpected issues he has been facing, and claimed that he still misses his ex-team in Mercedes. While he accepted his errors, Christian Danner feels that the seven-time champion underestimated the magnitude of the problems he would face at Maranello.

Christian Danner pointed out that a driver couldn’t reach their full potential if they do not get the required pace out of the car. Lewis Hamilton hasn’t worked on the SF-25 challenger at all, and it clearly shows. Danner recalled Michael Schumacher and his difficulties at Mercedes, noting that it was yet another example of a great driver but a poor car.

If a driver doesn’t get what he expects from the car, he can’t reach his potential. Think of Michael Schumacher at Mercedes. There, too, the car simply wasn’t right.

Christian Danner told ran.de

Christian Danner did not mince his words while claiming that Lewis Hamilton underestimated the challenge he would face from Charles Leclerc. Danner reckoned that it is up to Hamilton to decide whether he follows the Ferrari path and let them dictate his career. The 40-year-old can also bend things and do things as he wants at Maranello, as the 67-year-old believes that both paths are open and available for the former.

I think Hamilton underestimated the challenge. During the summer break, Hamilton has to decide for himself: does he follow the Ferrari path, as the team dictates? Or does he try to bend things so that they do what he wants? Both take energy and the outcome is open for each.

Christian Danner added

Christian Danner refuses to rule out Lewis Hamilton’s retirement

Lewis Hamilton is the center of multiple rumors of looking for an exit from Ferrari amid the desperate performance slump. Even though the 40-year-old recently declared his love for the sport and does not want to leave anytime soon, Christian Danner had his own doubts.

Lewis Hamilton (via Getty)
Lewis Hamilton (via Getty)

Christian Danner reckoned that Lewis Hamilton’s exiting the sport himself was conceivable because he was far from being competitive anytime soon. However, Danner accepted that this wasn’t typical of Hamilton and he wouldn’t go down without a fight. The 67-year-old personally believes that the seven-time champion would see through to the end of his contract. Still, he believed that an early retirement was definitely in the cards for the 40-year-old.

On the one hand, that’s conceivable because he’s currently far from being competitive. On the other hand, that’s not Hamilton’s style. He’s a fighter and wants to prove to the world that he can still do it. Personally, I believe he will stay and see it through. But you can’t rule out retirement.

Christian Danner noted

Ferrari must bring in massive improvements in their machinery to maximize Lewis Hamilton’s winning chances. Although Hamilton has pledged his loyalty to the outfit, he could reconsider his decision if the situation doesn’t improve. Hence, time will tell if the seven-time champion retains his hopes in the Italian outfit and continues without any changes.

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