Hamilton at Ferrari struggles as car underperforms this season

Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari has produced one of Formula 1’s most debated narratives this season: a high-profile driver facing a car that has failed to deliver, and a team under pressure to turn potential into results. With 14 races completed, Hamilton has yet to stand on the podium for Ferrari, while teammate Charles Leclerc has taken poles and podiums, and McLaren leads the constructors’ standings. As the summer break arrives, the questions focus on whether Ferrari can rebound, and what Hamilton’s future might look like if the second half of the year does not bring a decisive step forward.

The Hungarian Grand Prix weekend underscored the challenges. Hamilton described his qualifying performance as “useless” after he qualified 12th, while Leclerc grabbed Ferrari’s first pole of the season. In the race, Hamilton finished where he started, and Leclerc faded from a close fight with the McLarens to finish fourth after what team officials described as a late, car-affecting issue. Ferrari’s strategic gamble with a one-stop plan on a difficult-to-overtake track did not pay off, and the result reinforced the perception that the gap to rivals remains wider than hoped. Yet Hamilton...