Minardi: Ferrari must stop Hamilton leaving elsewhere to prove he still has it
F1 NewsSaturday, 09 August 2025 at 08:00
Giancarlo Minardi has urged Ferrari to manage the situation around Lewis Hamilton more carefully, warning that the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion could walk away and prove his doubters wrong elsewhere if his current struggles are not addressed.
Speaking to Gazzetta.it, the former Minardi Formula 1 team boss assessed Ferrari’s underwhelming first half of the 2025 season, where the team has yet to win a Grand Prix and trails McLaren by nearly 300 points going into the summer break.
“Ferrari is currently trying to find a better direction for Leclerc,” Minardi explained. In doing so, he suggested, Hamilton is being left behind: “From various interviews, I understand that he's complaining about things that were promised to him, but never arrived. It's difficult to make judgments, in any case.”
The comments come as Hamilton faces growing scrutiny over his form since joining Ferrari from Mercedes. As reported after the Hungarian Grand Prix, Hamilton qualified 12th and finished outside the points in P12 at a track where he has won eight times.
At Spa, he failed to make Q3 in the sprint or the Grand Prix. In both cases, he appeared lost in the setup direction and was openly self-critical, at one point calling himself “absolutely useless” and suggesting Ferrari should “probably change driver.”
Minardi: To say Lewis is a driver at the end of his career is unfair
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali responded with public support, calling Hamilton “a jewel” and backing him to bounce back, but others remain sceptical.
Minardi, however, believes writing off Hamilton would be a mistake: “To say he's a driver at the end of his career is unfair. Only Ferrari knows exactly what's happening. We need to prevent him from going elsewhere to prove he still has something to offer.”
Charles Leclerc’s 2025 form has only added pressure. The Monegasque driver has consistently outqualified Hamilton and delivered Ferrari’s only pole of the season in Hungary. While race results have not yet yielded a victory, Leclerc has established himself as the clear reference point at Maranello.
Minardi acknowledged this is making things harder for Hamilton: “And having a Leclerc as fast as the one we saw in 2025 alongside him certainly isn't helping Hamilton's adaptation…”
As Ferrari navigates its winless campaign and prepares for a critical 2026 regulations reset, the dynamic between its two drivers is under intense scrutiny. Whether Hamilton remains part of the long-term project or chooses to retire may depend on what Maranello delivers after the break.
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