F1 rival claims Lewis Hamilton 'habits' to blame for Ferrari slump

Lewis Hamilton

F1 rival claims Lewis Hamilton 'habits' to blame for Ferrari slump

Has Lewis Hamilton picked up bad habits in F1?

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Tuesday 10 June 2025 11:57

One of Lewis Hamilton's many rivals on the 2025 F1 grid has seemingly blamed his 'habits' for the struggles the seven-time champion has endured since switching to Ferrari.

The 40-year-old drove for Mercedes for 12 largely successful seasons before deciding to race in red, but his move to Maranello has not quite triggered the fairytale ending to his career he may have hoped for.

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Following 2025's European triple-header, Hamilton remains firmly behind his team-mate Charles Leclerc in the drivers' standings, with 23 points separating the duo in fifth and sixth place.

Speaking at the Spanish Grand Prix, Racing Bulls star Isack Hadjar gave his verdict on the idea that Hamilton was suffering because he opted to change from the Mercedes machinery to Ferrari.

The 20-year-old is one of many rookies who are experiencing their first campaign in F1 this year but nine rounds into the championship, Hadjar is beginning to pick up a reputation for being the best of the bunch of new faces, even impressing Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko with his own performances.

In response to a claim from Mundo Deportivo that Hamilton was just another example of a career going downhill after changing cars, Hadjar said: "Yes, but they are cases that have been with the same car for many years and they have habits and the change is more brutal. I don't have any habits, you know?"

Hadjar continued, highlighting the trait which has kept him consistently impressive so far this season, saying: "I'm in an F1 car, the year before I was in F2, before F3. So I keep changing, I keep adapting. I don't have any habits and having habits is the worst thing."

Is it too late for Hamilton to adapt to Ferrari?

In a nutshell, no. Hamilton may have turned 40 ahead of his Ferrari debut but only his critics, and former team-mate Nico Rosberg, have so far cited the champion's age as a concern for his career, not Hamilton himself.

The F1 legend previously asked fans and pundits alike to hold off on their harsh judgements until he was done with his career, stating that only after he has raced 'a few years' with Ferrari can anyone be able to say whether he succeeded with the outfit or not.

As F1 heads to the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve this weekend for the Canadian GP, Hamilton just needs to put the noise behind him and rely on his experience, of which he certainly has bucket loads more than Hadjar.

Granted it will take a while, maybe even the majority of this season for Hamilton to shake off any habits which aren't compatible with the SF-25, but perhaps once he has settled into his new team, his shine will return just in time for 2026.

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes Charles Leclerc Isack Hadjar