Lewis Hamilton to cut ties with Ferrari over F1 winter break

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton to cut ties with Ferrari over F1 winter break

Lewis Hamilton's first year at Ferrari has come to an end

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Monday 8 December 2025 12:55

Lewis Hamilton has revealed that he will be unreachable to his Ferrari team over the F1 winter break.

And after a catastrophic 2025 season, who can blame him?

Hamilton has finished the year without a single F1 podium, a car undriveable beyond comprehension, has been outclassed by his younger team-mate Charles Leclerc and…oh! Received a public scolding from Ferrari chairman John Elkann.

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Altogether, the 40-year-old’s first season at Ferrari has been the exact opposite of the fairytale promised when Hamilton first posed outside of Enzo Ferrari’s gaff in the winter. Of course, he wants to completely disconnect from the world!

Speaking to the media after his eighth place finish at the Abu Dhabi GP, Hamilton admitted: “At the moment I'm only looking forward to the break.”

"Just to disconnecting, not speaking to anyone. No one will be able to get in touch with me this winter. I won't have my phone with me and I'm looking forward to that. Completely unplug from the matrix."

When asked if he had ever tried the no phone approach before, Hamilton added: “No, I've generally always had it around. But this time, it's going in the freaking bin."

Why has 2025 been so tough for Hamilton?

So, what has exactly gone wrong for Hamilton at Ferrari? This question is a bit like asking what was the sole cause of the First World War. You can’t just pinpoint just one factor.

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur also admitted that development of the 2025 ceased as early as April, to shift their entire focus to the new regulations and their 2026 challenger, a decision both Hamilton and Leclerc supported.

Add into the mix the SF-25’s sensitivity to ride height changes, strategic mistakes from the pit wall and an inability to conjure the right set up during a race weekend, Hamilton’s struggles are brought into a new light.

While the SF-25 has undoubtedly been a nightmare car to drive, Leclerc has proven on seven occasions that some performance could be squeezed out of the Ferrari and was, at times, worthy of a podium.

Taking the above into consideration, there is the simple conclusion that Hamilton is not as quick as he used to be in qualifying, a natural by-product of aging as a racing driver.

Time will only tell if the close of the ground effect era will be a blessing for Hamilton. For now, going off grid and disconnecting for the winter seems like the best idea he has had all year.

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F1 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Abu Dhabi Grand Prix