Hamilton: Ferrari in need of ‘a lot of changes’ to fight for world title

Lewis Hamilton has delivered his most blunt and candid assessment yet of Ferrari’s struggles, warning that “a lot of changes” are needed behind the scenes if the iconic Italian outfit is to return to the top of Formula 1.

The seven-time champion’s frustration was once again palpable after Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix, where Ferrari languished as the fourth-fastest team, underscoring their inability to keep pace with rivals.

With just three podiums in 9 races and a solitary sprint win in Shanghai, Ferrari nevertheless sat second in the Constructors’ standings ahead of last weekend’s round in Montreal. But Mercedes’ breakthrough performance in Canada pushed the Scuderia down to third with seemingly no momentum to boost its prospects.

A Culture Under Scrutiny

Speaking to Sky Italia after Sunday’s race, Hamilton, whose race was derailed by a floor damaged by an unfortunate encounter with a groundhog, openly questioned his team’s overall direction as well as its sluggish approach to development.

“Of course I’m asking for these things [upgrades],” he said. “I don’t know why we haven’t been bringing upgrades, I think we have one hopefully coming soon.

“The mindset for me, I’m like ‘there’s a lot of changes that need to be made in the system.’ I wish I could tell you what’s happening. There’s a lot going on in the background.”

Hamilton admitted his hands are tied when it comes to speaking openly about internal matters.

“Yeah, I can’t say too much about it,” he added. “There’s so many things I wish I could tell you that could explain the things that have happened this year, the problems we had and what’s going on within the organisation.

“But my goal is to try and positively influence, try and get change so we can have long term success.”

Stalled Progress and Fading Hopes

While Mercedes celebrated their first win of 2025 in Canada, Ferrari’s struggles were laid bare. Charles Leclerc finished over 3 seconds behind race winner George Russell, with Hamilton over 10 seconds adrift, with both drivers benefitting from Lando Norris’ retirement in the final standings.

Hamilton’s comments to Sky Sports F1, in which he reiterated his call for upgrades, undeniably reflected a growing exasperation.

“We’re really in need of an upgrade, there’s a lot things that need to change for us to be competing at the front,” he said. “

“They don’t really talk about it much. I think we have something coming, hopefully, next week but I don’t know if it’s much. I don’t think it’s going to be a lot, I think it’s just one of those years.”

Hamilton’s pointed remarks suggest a team lacking urgency and cohesion.

“There’s a lot of changes that we need. For me it’s that foundation building. We’re not fighting for a championship,” he admitted.

As Ferrari’s season unravels, Hamilton’s cryptic references to “problems within the organisation” hint at a deeper malaise, raising questions about whether the iconic team can rally to meet his demands for transformation.

Read also: Hamilton blames 'horrible' groundhog hit for compromised Canadian GP

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