Hamilton’s Ferrari struggles ‘hard to watch’ admits Rosberg

Nico Rosberg has admitted that witnessing Lewis Hamilton’s struggles at Ferrari has been “hard to watch”, the 2016 world champion describing his former Mercedes teammate’s hardship as a “very dark situation”.

Rosberg and Hamilton famously shared one of the most intense rivalries in recent F1 history during their time together at Mercedes from 2013 to 2016.

The pair, once inseparable friends in their karting days, saw their relationship unravel under the pressure of competing for championships – culminating in Rosberg’s title win and immediate retirement from the sport.

While their personal bond never fully recovered, Rosberg often speaks respectfully about Hamilton’s accomplishments and legacy.

A Painful Struggle in Red

Hamilton’s transition to Ferrari has been far from smooth. Despite a promising start from fifth on the grid at the Spanish Grand Prix, the British driver could only manage a sixth-place finish, losing out to teammate Charles Leclerc and even being passed late in the race by Nico Hülkenberg in the Sauber.

It’s been a season punctuated by frustration, with only a Sprint win in China offering any sign of success so far.

Rosberg, in his role as a consultant for Sky F1 during the Barcelona weekend, didn’t hide his discomfort watching Hamilton's continued woes.

“It’s hard to watch. Sunday was a horrible day for him because he was just slow out there, which is very unusual,” he conceded.

The German elaborated on how uncharacteristic Hamilton's lack of race pace was, pointing out that even when qualifying has gone wrong in the past, Hamilton has often found a way to recover through sheer racecraft.

“Yes, sometimes he’s off in qualifying, but in races he’s usually really awesome and the race was shockingly bad. He doesn’t have answers either,” Rosberg added.

• Read also: Vasseur still urging patience amid Hamilton’s growing pains

The 39-year-old former driver speculated that unseen technical issues may be part of the problem, hinting at how a subtle fault can dramatically affect performance in today’s ultra-sensitive machinery.

“Was there damage on the floor? These floors are so sensitive and there can always be a bit there and you lose a lot of time,” he commented.

“When you don’t have any answers, it’s really tough as a driver. Then you see your team-mate race their way to third place on the podium.”

“A Very Dark Situation”

While Hamilton has remained outwardly calm, his own post-race admission in Spain – calling it his “worst race” so far with Ferrari – highlighted just how difficult this period has been.

Rosberg echoed that sentiment, summarising the mood around Hamilton's current campaign in stark terms.

“In light of the whole season he’s had so far, it’s a very dark situation,” he said.

Hamilton's arrival at Ferrari was meant to be a new chapter – one filled with hope, challenge, and the pursuit of a record eighth world title. But halfway through the season, it has instead become a story of unanswered questions, lost pace, and growing concern.

Even for a former rival like Rosberg, it’s not a satisfying watch.

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