The 2025 Formula 1 season has been a rollercoaster for Lewis Hamilton, and his former teammate Nico Rosberg has not held back in his assessment of the seven-time world champion’s struggles at Ferrari.

Following a disappointing Spanish Grand Prix on June 1, 2025, where Hamilton finished a lackluster sixth, Rosberg’s candid commentary on Sky Sports F1 left fans and Ferrari stunned.

His remarks have sparked intense debate about Hamilton’s future with the Scuderia and the challenges he faces with the SF-25 car.

Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was heralded as a new chapter for the British driver, but the 2025 season has been anything but smooth. During the Spanish Grand Prix, Hamilton was instructed to let teammate Charles Leclerc pass early in the race, a move that highlighted his struggles with pace. Later, he was overtaken by Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg on the penultimate lap after a Safety Car period, a moment that Rosberg described as “hard to watch.” Hamilton himself admitted the race was “terrible,” calling the Ferrari “undriveable” over team radio and confessing post-race that he had “nothing to say” about his performance.

Rosberg, the 2016 world champion and Hamilton’s former rival at Mercedes, didn’t mince words. “There’s something missing for Lewis at Ferrari,” he told Sky Sports F1. “He’s not connecting with the car yet. It’s a very dark situation.” Rosberg pointed out the stark contrast between Hamilton’s sixth-place finish and Leclerc’s podium in third, suggesting that Hamilton’s struggles are a continuation of his challenges at Mercedes in 2024, where he was outpaced by George Russell. “When you don’t have any answers and your teammate is racing up to the podium, it’s really tough,” Rosberg added.

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur, however, defended Hamilton, urging the media not to judge the driver based on his immediate post-race comments. “You’re experienced enough not to draw conclusions after the first words of the driver,” Vasseur told RacingNews365. Despite Hamilton’s complaints about the car’s balance and downforce issues during practice, Vasseur remains optimistic about the SF-25’s potential, insisting that the team is working to unlock its performance.

The Italian media, however, has been less forgiving, with some outlets mocking Hamilton’s “painfully negative attitude” after the race. Fans on social media have rallied behind Rosberg’s blunt commentary, with one X user humorously stating, “Nico Rosberg, I need to kiss you on the forehead,” praising his willingness to confront Ferrari’s issues head-on. Meanwhile, Hamilton’s best result this season remains a fourth-place finish in Imola and a Sprint race win in China, but his main race performances have been consistently underwhelming.

As Ferrari sits second in the constructors’ championship with 165 points, Hamilton trails Leclerc by 23 points in the drivers’ standings. With the Canadian Grand Prix looming from June 13-15, 2025, all eyes will be on whether Hamilton can turn things around or if Rosberg’s stark warning will prove prophetic. For now, Ferrari and Hamilton face a critical moment in their partnership.

Sources:,,,,,