Lewis Hamilton tipped to face painful Ferrari patience test

F1 legend Lewis Hamilton has been tipped to face a painful patience test at Ferrari as his struggles to adapt to his new team continue.

The seven-time champion has enjoyed a stellar career so far in F1, but at 40 years old, his time is running out to return to championship-winning ways.

After achieving six of his seven drivers’ titles with Mercedes, Hamilton made the difficult decision to leave the Silver Arrows at the end of 2024, with his move to the Italian team an attempt to revive his chances at a comeback.

However, with just six rounds left in this year's campaign, the racing legend is sat down in sixth in the drivers' standings and Ferrari have dropped to third in the constructors'.

Across the final stages of the season, there are a maximum of 174 points up for grabs for Hamilton thanks to the six grands prix and three sprint races remaining on the calendar.

Though the British legend is mathematically way out of contention for this year's drivers' championship, he will be hoping to pick up as many of those points as possible to avoid allowing Ferrari rivals Red Bull to overtake his team in the constructors' standings.

What is even more concerning is his lack of podiums, picking up one after winning the Chinese GP sprint, but failing to finish in the top three of any full-length race so far this year. Should the champion continue this trend for the rest of the season, he will be confronted with the first campaign of his career where he has not secured a grand prix podium.

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Is Hamilton doomed at Ferrari?

Regardless of his struggles during his first championship in red, it's not all doom and gloom for Hamilton.

He had no say in the characteristics of the SF-25 and has remained positive over the chances of improving with Ferrari in 2026, where he will be driving a car that he has reportedly been instrumental in setting up.

But what could prove a make or break for Hamilton is the fact that the sport will once again undergo a regulations overhaul next year, when the competitive field will likely be reset.

Should he hit the ground running with Ferrari, we might see him competing for a record-breaking eighth title, although two-time champion Mika Hakkinen isn't so sure.

In a recent interview, the former McLaren star was asked what he made of Hamilton's struggles this year and his unwanted record of the most races without a podium since debuting with Ferrari.

“First of all, Lewis is just an incredible racing driver. He has succeeded in his career over the years, taking all the pressure that he’s been experiencing. It’s just unbelievable," the Finnish racer said.

But Hakkinen went on to issue a worrying timeline for when he thinks Hamilton can expect to see progress with Ferrari, adding: "When you come to a new team, normally it can take four-five years until you can make the car to fit your driving style. Thus, Lewis has to have the patience to wait for such a long time. You normally don’t jump in the team and the car and say, ‘Oh, this car is fantastic. I’m going to win races.’ It requires a lot of work and a long time.”

Should Hakkinen's prediction prove true, Hamilton would be in his mid 40s before he starts to see progress and though success at that age isn't impossible, his patience could very well wear thin by the time 2030 rolls around.

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