Lewis Hamilton is still chasing his first podium finish at the Miami Grand Prix—a venue that remains one of just two circuits where he’s never cracked the top three. Despite this being only Formula 1’s fourth visit to the Florida track, Hamilton’s quest for a breakthrough continues, and Ferrari are urging him to stay positive.
While Charles Leclerc managed a podium earlier this season in Saudi Arabia, recent form suggests Ferrari may struggle to repeat that feat in Miami. However, a strong finish from Hamilton would provide a much-needed boost after a difficult start to life in red.
After finishing seventh in the last race, Hamilton appeared deflated and even suggested the rest of the season might be a write-off. Though his tone was more measured during Thursday’s media briefings, he still seemed far from fully confident. He continues to wrestle with the SF-25, unable to find a set-up or driving rhythm that feels natural.
But Ferrari are working hard to keep Hamilton’s spirits high. According to Sky Sports’ Ted Kravitz, the team has privately reassured the seven-time world champion that there is still reason to be hopeful.
Speaking on his Podbook podcast, Kravitz shared insights from the Ferrari camp: “Leclerc said, ‘I’ve found a direction that works for me,’ but added, ‘It’s not my place to give advice to Lewis.’ Still, the mood at Ferrari is clear: ‘Don’t give up, there is hope.’”
That hope is grounded in recent signs of progress. Hamilton claimed his first win for Ferrari during the Sprint race in China—a victory that, according to Kravitz, may have quieted potential critics. “Without that win,” he added, “I think a lot more questions would be flying around.”
Hamilton also made use of the gap between races to visit Ferrari’s headquarters in Maranello, skipping part of his planned break to dive deeper into performance data alongside engineers. While he kept quiet about the details in Miami, it’s evident that he’s searching for answers.
Still, some observers believe the challenge may go deeper. F1 analyst Peter Windsor has speculated that Hamilton’s deeply ingrained driving style—developed over 361 Grand Prix starts—might be part of the issue. After so many years behind the wheel, adapting to a new car philosophy may not be straightforward.
Heading into Miami, Hamilton sits seventh in the driver standings—the same position he finished in during his final season with Mercedes in 2024. While he’s earned 12 more points this year (31 compared to 19), expectations were higher, particularly after Ferrari’s runner-up finish in last year’s constructors’ championship.
Former McLaren mechanic and F1 pundit Marc Priestley believes Hamilton is “desperate” to silence his critics and become the sport’s oldest world champion since 1966. But given Ferrari’s current pace, that dream may have to wait until 2026 at the earliest.
For now, the team’s message to Hamilton is simple: stay the course. There’s still time for results to improve—and Ferrari believes he can be part of that turnaround.