Lewis Hamilton F1 team-mate opens up on 'very dark' Ferrari situation

Nico Rosberg, one of the very drivers to beat Lewis Hamilton to a world title on the same team, had opened up on the Brit's start with Ferrari this month.

Hamilton has been one of the sport's greatest ever drivers since he first set foot in a car of any kind, but has fallen back of late.

At the Spanish GP, Hamilton was overtaken by the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg at the end of the race, and finished a lowly sixth, while Leclerc got himself up onto the podium.

Hamilton showed glimpses of his brilliant best at the Imola GP last month, finishing fourth having started 11th, but that remains his best main race result since joining Ferrari.

The 40-year-old adopted a very downbeat attitude in his post-race interview following the race around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, and former team-mate Rosberg then commented on Hamilton's struggles.

"It's hard to watch because today was a horrible day for him, because he was just slow out there, which is very unusual, because, yes, sometimes he's been a little bit off in qualifying, but in racing, usually he's still really, really awesome, and today the race was just shockingly bad," Rosberg told Sky Sports F1.

"He doesn't have answers either. So was there damage in the floor? As these floors are so sensitive, and there can always be a little bit there, and then you lose a lot of time or what was going on, and when you don't have any answers, it's really tough as a driver.

"Then you see your team-mate racing up all the way to third place, being on the podium. In light of the whole season that he's had so far, it's a very dark situation."

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Hamilton woes accentuated by Leclerc brilliance

Hamilton's dismal race in Spain followed what had been a surprisingly positive Saturday. The Brit outqualified Leclerc for only the second time since joining Ferrari, and was up in fifth for the start of the race.

However, it only took a few laps for Leclerc to be right on the tail of Hamilton on Sunday, and Ferrari ordered Hamilton to let his Monegasque team-mate through as he was clearly the faster of the two drivers.

Leclerc's podium was his third of the season, while Hamilton is yet to pick up a podium in a main race so far in 2025.

Ferrari were hoping that the arrival of the seven-time world champion would boost them on to claim their first championship win since 2008, having only finished 14 points behind McLaren in the constructors' championship in 2024.

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