After years of sitting on the opposite side of the garage to the seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton’s former teammate has commented on one of the Ferrari driver’s key frustrations.
The Briton finished eighth last time out at the Miami Grand Prix, over 60 seconds behind race winner Oscar Piastri at the chequered flag.
10 years ago, Hamilton clinched his third world championship – but has spent the majority of this season fighting for the minor points places and is yet to score a Grand Prix podium.
The 40-year-old has enjoyed some success through the sprint race format, finishing first and third in the two editions this campaign.
During the Miami GP, Hamilton suffered a series of frustrating conversations with his race engineer, Riccardo Adami, over the topic of swapping positions with teammate Charles Leclerc.
Ferrari dawdled through this process and ultimately cost both drivers crucial race time, something about which one of Hamilton’s former teammates has voiced his dismay.
Jenson Button highlights Lewis Hamilton ‘frustration’
Sharing the cockpit with Hamilton at McLaren from 2010 to 2012, Jenson Button can provide almost unmatched insight into what goes on in the Ferrari driver’s mind.
The 2009 Formula One world champion highlighted the Prancing Horse’s slow position swap and the devastating effect it can have on the final race result.
“I get it, because they’re on a different strategy, and the problem is, Lewis spent one lap behind his teammate,” the 2009 World Champion explained on the grid at the Miami GP.
“Even just one lap, it damages his tyres. It puts the temperature up on that medium tyre, and you’ve lost the best of it, and you don’t get it back.
“So yes, I can see the frustration, and this should have been a plan before the race that you decide if the guy behind is on softer tyres, you let them past.”
In fact, Button even added, “He shouldn’t have even had to ask” Ferrari to make the swap.
Can Hamilton recover his 2025 campaign?
The seven-time world champion has consistently struggled with the ground effect era of cars which were introduced in 2022, but many thought a fresh slice of motivation in the form of a move to Ferrari may override that.
Beginning the year, Hamilton eyed F1 history in the form of an eighth world title, but unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to adapt to the Scuderia’s car and is paying the price on track.
Languishing seventh in the championship and 90 points behind leader Piastri, it’s extremely unlikely that the former Mercedes driver will compete for the title this year.
| F1 2025 Drivers’ Standings |
| 4. George Russell 93 points |
| 5. Charles Leclerc 53 points |
| 6. Kimi Antonelli 48 points |
| 7. Lewis Hamilton 41 points |
However, last season showed that if Hamilton can set up a car to his liking, he can instantly jump back into form.
Victories at Silverstone and Spa in 2024 ultimately became outliers in that campaign, but similar results with Ferrari would be much better received than the current finishes they are achieving.
Therefore, although 2025 won’t warrant a championship for Hamilton, bagging a healthy number of podiums and race wins whilst becoming further embedded in the team may prove to be crucial preparation for a title bid next season.
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