It was natural that Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari in 2025 would be watched closely. After all, he is the second seven-time world champion to race in the famous red colours.

Hamilton followed in the footsteps of Michael Schumacher by joining Ferrari this season. The Brit’s transfer was bound to be scrutinised due to the magnitude of the deal and his somewhat uninspiring end to his tenure at Mercedes.

The 40-year-old was hoping his time in Maranello would be a success as he achieved his lifelong dream of racing in red. However, it has been hugely disappointing thus far in 2025.

After six races, Hamilton sits seventh in the standings, having failed to finish in the top three. While he achieved two podiums in the Sprint race, winning in Shanghai, he has been mostly outperformed by teammate Charles Leclerc.

Hamilton’s behaviour has noticeably changed in post-race interviews as he appears more tense and discontent as the season goes on. The Miami Grand Prix was his most frustrating weekend as Hamilton produced sarcastic radio messages in response to Ferrari’s indecisive strategy calls.

Christian Danner says Hamilton felt he was Ferrari’s ‘saviour’ and the one to guide them to their first title in 2008. But his tenure at F1’s most successful team, so far anyway, is nowhere near the level of Schumacher’s time with the team.

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Rubens Barrichello says Lewis Hamilton lacks the ‘support’ from pressure that Michael Schumacher had at Ferrari

During the early 2000s, Schumacher and Ferrari were unstoppable, winning five consecutive championships between 2000 and 2004 – the only time that has happened in F1 history.

Their level of dominance can be best shown by the 2002 season, where Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello won 15 out of the 17 races – the former grabbing 11 of them – as Ferrari finished with the same number of points as every other team in the championship combined.

Speaking on the After Lap Podcast, Barrichello explained that ‘pressure becomes support’ when Ferrari are out in front. Hamilton is not experiencing the same luxury, and the Brazilian has told the 40-year-old he ‘can’t read anything’ as his woes continue.

“I think external pressure certainly doesn’t help, because in the end, when we’re winning everything, it gets easier and easier, right?” said Barrichello.

“I think in 2002, this car was very strong. So you have a situation where the pressure becomes support, that’s where it goes.

“But when you don’t win, you can’t read anything, you can’t open the internet, they’re talking about you.

“So it’s a difficult situation, but I like the bosses at Ferrari right now. So, it becomes a situation of a lot of work, we’re talking about 24 hours a day, you don’t have time to sleep, you don’t have time for anything. You have to be there.”

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Lewis Hamilton did something at the Miami GP that Michael Schumacher always avoided

Ferrari need to bring upgrades to the SF-25 if they want to have any chance of being competitive in 2025. However, their title aspirations may already be over as they sit 152 points behind McLaren in fourth.

Rob Smedley thinks Ferrari won’t win at Imola without upgrades to the car. This will not be what Hamilton wants to hear as his frustrations with the team grow with every race.

Ferrari’s ‘modifications’ could help Hamilton’s balance issues later in the season. But the team must act fast, especially after the 40-year-old’s explosive messages over the radio in Miami.

Ferrari would have despised Hamilton’s radio antics as they hate people talking down to them. Michael Schumacher avoided criticising Ferrari publicly during his tenure in Maranello – an error Hamilton has made that could do more damage to their current situation.