Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari was one of the most hyped in sports history. But so far, it hasn't lived up to the fanfare.
Hamilton's first 14 F1 races in red have seen a swath of results that have been ... just fine. And some that have been quite poor.
Lewis Hamilton's stats
Standings Position: 6th
Points: 109
Best Finish: 4th
Best Qualifying Position: 4th
Head-to-head race finishes (vs. Leclerc): 2-11
Head-to-head qualifying: 4-10
Head-to-head points: 109-151
Confidence a concern for Hamilton
At this point in the season, Hamilton's biggest success came in a sprint that he took pole and the win in. But unfortunately for him, those wins are easily forgotten about. And then in the Chinese Grand Prix, he was disqualified.
Hamilton is still looking for his first podium with Ferrari. It seemed like it was maybe on the way when he finished only between 4th and 6th over the course of six race between Imola and England, but things didn't fall his way.
And whether you'd call that stretch momentum building or frustrating, when F1 returned after a short break to race in Belgium and Hungary, all of that energy evaporated.
Hamilton qualified 18th for the Belgian sprint and finished 15th.
He then went out in Q1 again, qualifying 16th for the Belgian Grand Prix, although he was able to be one of the only drivers all race long to move through the field and he ended up P7. But it was a day that inspired a lot of 'what ifs.'
And in Hungary before the break, it was a Q2 exit and P12 finish, his worst of 2025.
Hamilton has clearly been struggling with not meeting the moment, saying that he is "useless" and that Ferrari should consider sacking him for another driver. Although definitely not fully serious, those are some brutally harsh words to say into a microphone.
Aging Hamilton's task is a daunting one
Clearly Ferrari did not come into 2025 with a competitive car, so all the rest of this year will be is trying to come away with some positives before the regulations change for 2026.
But even with that in mind, it is clear Hamilton has not been up to the task of matching Charles Leclerc.
Yes, it was never going to be easy. Leclerc has over 100 races with Ferrari to build on, and has established himself as one of the grid's very best. But surely more was expected from the seven-time champion at this point.
Hamilton has only bested Leclerc two times in race form so far -- at Silverstone where Leclerc had one of the biggest disaster days of his career, and Imola, where strategy put Hamilton ahead, not pace.
Qualifying is Leclerc's specialty, so that should be the scarier feat for Hamilton, but he has been just slightly better on that head-to-head, although not much.
2026 is going to be a massive one for Lewis Hamilton. Regardless of what happens the rest of the way in 2025, the script can be tossed out and focus will fall on a new car.
But if the results next year mirror this year ... the whispers of how much longer Hamilton will be in the sport will get louder.