Lewis Hamilton Ferrari performance labelled an 'embarrassment'

Lewis Hamilton's Australian Grand Prix performance was labelled as an 'embarrassment', just days before he was disqualified from the Chinese GP.

The Formula 1 champion was only able to finish the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in 10th having qualified down in eighth, behind team-mate Charles Leclerc in both qualifying and the race.

Former Ferrari general manager Peter Windsor has suggested that the fact he was stuck in the midfield battling with Alex Albon at the season-opening race was not a good look for driver or team.

"Throughout the race, they were giving Lewis instructions on how he could overtake Albon, how to use the DRS and the different things that needed to be done, but he kept saying he could do it," Windsor said on his YouTube channel.

"Well, he didn't handle it very well at all, failing in his attempt to overtake the Williams.

"For a Ferrari driver in his first grand prix to be beaten by an inferior car, I think, is a bit of an embarrassment. I was surprised that Lewis was a bit aggressive on the radio. He clashed a bit too much with his track engineer.

"If there were communication problems, why weren't they resolved at the Bahrain test? I'm sure they were thinking on the pit wall, 'What's going on here, why can't he get past?'"

Hamilton and Ferrari's start of season misery was compounded during round two of the 2025 championship, with both Hamilton and his team-mate Leclerc being disqualified from the main race, each for differing reasons.

Ferrari hoping for F1 improvement

There is a lot of pressure on Hamilton to perform to justify Ferrari's decision to ditch the in-form Carlos Sainz for the seven-time world champion, and he himself is desperate to banish last season from his memory, when he finished a lowly seventh in the standings.

However, he has only taken one point from the first two main races of the season, sitting 35 points behind McLaren's Lando Norris already in the championship standings.

Only a stunning sprint race victory earlier in the Chinese GP weekend has put him ahead of Leclerc in the standings, and given Ferrari's start to the season a respectable look.

Leclerc was disqualified for his car being underweight in FIA checks at the end of the race, while Hamilton was disqualified for excessive wear on his skid blocks.

F1 HEADLINES: Red Bull statement delivered on Lawson as Vettel handed F1 boost

Related

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton unleashes NEW Ferrari car project... and he has already named it!

• 1 hour ago

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton admits key mistake over Ferrari disqualification

• Today 11:58