Abu Dhabi GP: How Lewis Hamilton's dream move to Ferrari turned into a nightmare

There are few images in modern sport as emotionally loaded as a driver in Ferrari red. For generations Formula One has wrapped the Scuderia in legacy and nostalgia. Lewis Hamilton grew up mesmerised by that lore.

Long before the world championships and the personal records, he had imagined as a child what it might be like to step into the famed cockpit. When the moment finally arrived it felt like the kind of story that motorsport needed to deliver. A childhood vision realised. A titan chasing an eighth crown in the colours of a team that has defined the very idea of racing romance.

His arrival sent ripples across the paddock because Hamilton had been the cornerstone of Mercedes for 12 years. He had delivered six drivers' titles and shaped one of the most dominant periods in the history of Formula One. Leaving that sanctuary to cross into Maranello was a profound rupture, but Hamilton presented it as the natural evolution of a life defined by reinvention. On social media he wrote: “To anyone considering their next move in 2025: embrace the change.

“Whether you're switching industries, learning a new skill, or even just taking on new challenges, remember that reinvention is powerful. Your next opportunity is always within reach.”

At the season launch, he enthused: “We are the strongest pairing F1 has probably ever had,” insisting that the partnership with Charles Leclerc was built for glory. He spoke with enthusiasm about Ferrari’s mystique.

“You go to the Italian Grand Prix, and you see the sea of red of Ferrari fans, and you can only stand in awe of that. I used to play on Grand Prix 2 as Michael [Schumacher] in that car. So it definitely is a dream.”

For a moment, it appeared that this union might become the final heroic chapter of a storied career. Except what followed was anything but.

His Ferrari debut in Melbourne yielded a 10th-place finished, an outing he described as “a disastrous race,” though he was careful to project calm. A sprint victory in China briefly revived optimism before the double disqualification of both Ferraris in the Grand Prix erased the progress immediately. What followed was a season that travelled from disappointment to disillusionment and culminated in utter pain.

The numbers tell their own story: Hamilton sits sixth in the drivers' championship with a meagre 152 points and no podium finishes heading into the final weekend at the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Teammate Leclerc, meanwhile, has amassed 230 points and seven podiums. Eighteen-year-old Kimi Antonelli, the teenager who inherited Hamilton’s seat at Mercedes, is only two points behind him with one race remaining. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz, the driver Ferrari released to make room for Hamilton, has already collected two podiums at Williams.

The contrast has not gone unnoticed. Guenther Steiner captured the sentiment neatly when speaking of Ferrari’s decision to recruit Hamilton. “They had a known quantity with Carlos; he could deliver, and Lewis obviously, I respect Lewis, but in the moment, for the unrest he brings into the team and around the team, is it a worthwhile investment? Maybe not.”

Las Vegas gave us the clearest picture of how far the move has fallen below expectations. After looking competitive in practice, Hamilton slipped into the darkest moment of his first year in red, qualifying last for the first time in his career.

“It obviously cannot get much worse than that,” he said afterwards. His assessment of the weekend was stripped of any attempt at restraint. “Horrendous weekend. Another one to add to the list.” Speaking to BBC Radio Five Live, he added: “There is nothing positive to take from today. I am eager for it to end. I am looking forward to it ending.