Lewis Hamilton sits between two Mercedes cars in the drivers’ championship. On the evidence of 2025 alone, it looks like he’s made a sideways step.
George Russell largely appears to have extracted the maximum out of the W16, with his five podiums helping him amass 147 points in the first half of the season. Hamilton is two places and 44 points back.
The seven-time world champion is at least 40 points ahead of Kimi Antonelli, the driver who replaced him at Brackley. But he joined Ferrari to compete for titles again, and he’s yet to score a podium.
Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images
In a recent interview, Hamilton asked to be judged not now, but when he leaves the team. It’s obvious that he’s suffering in a sporting sense – he’s only won three of the last 80 Grands Prix – but he’s trying to channel that pain into motivation.
George Russell says Ferrari star Lewis Hamilton is no longer going to ‘fashion shows’ off track
Speaking to L’Equipe ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, Russell yearned for the days of Mercedes’ domination. Hamilton won six of his world titles with the Silver Arrows between 2014 and 2020.
In Russell’s eyes, a driver can afford to do whatever they want when they’re winning races regularly. He pointed to the example of his former teammate, who was given license to attend ‘fashion shows’ and pursue plenty of non-racing interests under Toto Wolff.
But now that his results have dropped off, Russell, whose recent victory in Canada was the fourth of his career, says Hamilton has changed his lifestyle.
YEARWINS2013120141120151020161020179201811201911202011202182022020230202422025 (ongoing)0Lewis Hamilton’s wins by season since joining Mercedes
“With the car to win, you can do what you want,” he explained. “And everyone will say that’s good. When Hamilton was at Mercedes, he went to fashion shows, he did this, he did that, and he won.
“Everyone said that was OK. Now he doesn’t do that anymore because he doesn’t win anymore.”
It’s worth noting that Hamilton remains active in the world of fashion. He was appointed co-chair for this year’s Met Gala in New York City.
Lewis Hamilton’s uncomfortable Mercedes throwback at Belgian Grand Prix
Hamilton is determined to transform Ferrari, who haven’t had a drivers’ champion since 2007 – his rookie season – in the form of Kimi Raikkonen. He attributes that drought to some of the team’s departments misfiring.
Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso failed to end Ferrari’s drought despite their ‘amazing’ talents. Hamilton ‘refuses’ to accept the same fate.
It became clear months ago that his hopes would hinge on the new regulations, with Ferrari falling out of 2025 contention. The goal for the rest of the year is victories, perhaps made possible by a new rear suspension.
But Hamilton went out in SQ1 on Friday after a mysterious spin. It was an uncomfortable throwback to last autumn’s US GP, one of his final races for Mercedes, when an unexplained error ended his race.