Lewis Hamilton faced it all this season: a sprint win in China, multiple DNFs, and setbacks adapting to the SF-25. The latest: a ‘rather harsh’ five-grid penalty he carried from Zandvoort to Monza for a yellow flag infringement.
Hamilton lined up for Ferrari’s home race weekend on the back foot with the grid drop. However, the Briton managed to deliver a hard-fought sixth place for the Italian outfit at the end of the race. Ferrari’s team principal, Fred Vasseur, shared his satisfaction with Hamilton’s performance.
Lewis Hamilton shows clear progress with a strong result in Monza
Monza has always been one of Hamilton’s favourite tracks. The Ferrari driver has five wins around the “Temple of Speed”, tying him with Michael Schumacher. He also claimed the title of the fastest lap around the Italian track – before Max Verstappen swept it away last weekend, that is.
Although Hamilton couldn’t deliver the win the Tifosi yearned for, he made a respectable climb from tenth place to sixth. Fred Vasseur, the one who calls the shots at Ferrari, was certainly pleased with Hamilton’s progress during the race, following a tough run of form in the first half of the season:
“It was a very good race and I’m very pleased for him because he had a tough time in July and he’s back, back on the pace.”
🚨 | Fred Vasseur says Lewis Hamilton is back after a strong result in Monza:
“He came back. With the penalty, he was in the middle of the pack but had a strong first stint.
“We tried to have a tyre advantage at the end [against Russell], but the degradation was too low.
“It…
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) September 7, 2025
More than other weekends, Lewis Hamilton appeared comfortable in the car and tried to bring the challenge to Russell. However, Ferrari’s pure pace alone fell short of catching the Mercedes man who sat comfortably in fifth – capping Hamilton’s ultimate result. But, with eight races remaining on the calendar, there’s time for Lewis Hamilton to deliver.
Hamilton’s growing comfort could give him a chance to fight at the front
Before the summer break, Hamilton made headlines when referring to himself as ‘useless’ following a disastrous early qualification exit in Hungary. However, the Ferrari driver took the summer shutdown to reflect and return with refreshed spirits.
As F1 restarted, Hamilton hinted at changes he has made in his process that made his weekends run a lot smoother. It seems that despite the obvious weaknesses of the SF-25 – which both drivers openly acknowledge – Hamilton is finding his footing in the car.
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An optimistic Vasseur looked ahead, saying, “he had a good weekend, a good mood, and I think it will help [for the rest of the season].”
With renewed confidence and Vasseur’s backing, Lewis Hamilton now turns his sights to the final stretch of the season. Results will tell what kind of progress Ferrari can unlock, and whether Hamilton’s newfound adaptation can translate into podiums or a long-awaited race win.
