Amid Ferrari struggles, can Hamilton revive his winning ways in F1?

Will Lewis Hamilton Ever Win Again? Fans Wonder As F1 Arrives in Imola

The 2025 Formula 1 season has arrived in Italy with the seventh race of the year poised to unfold at the historic Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari. Nestled in close proximity to Ferrari's Maranello headquarters, the circuit feels like a reflection of the Prancing Horse's immense legacy. But as Lewis Hamilton heads into this weekend, fans and pundits alike are grappling with an uncomfortable and almost heretical question: Will Lewis Hamilton ever win again?

Hamilton, the undisputed titan of Formula 1, boasts 105 career wins—making him the only driver in history to breach triple digits. While next month marks the 18th anniversary of his maiden victory, July will also mark the one-year milestone since his last win. To any ordinary driver, that's hardly a lengthy drought. But for Hamilton, a seven-time world champion who consistently wielded dominance over nearly two decades, it feels like an eternity.

Ferrari's Struggles and Hamilton's Frustration

Ferrari, meanwhile, has struggled to provide him with a competitive car in his sophomore year with the iconic team. As Hamilton continues to wrestle with the performance inconsistencies of the SF-25, the frustration is palpable in his post-race reflections in recent weeks.

Hamilton hasn’t shied away from addressing Ferrari’s shortcomings and his own struggles to adapt. Some of his quotes during this difficult period paint a picture of a champion grappling with self-doubt:

• "I've been nowhere all weekend."
• "Clearly, the car is capable of being P3. Charles [Leclerc] did a great job today. So, I can't blame the car."
• "Praying is more like it."
• "Poor performance. There's no reasons. I'm just not doing the job. I've just got to keep improving."

Though Hamilton has vowed to "not give up," all signs point to a Herculean task ahead—not only adapting to Ferrari’s engineering quirks but also finding his inner confidence, something that once seemed unshakable.

The Drought: Stats and Comparisons

For a driver who averaged nearly seven wins per year between 2007 and 2021, Hamilton’s recent struggles are stark. His last victory came under complicated circumstances at Spa in July 2024 after then-Mercedes teammate George Russell was disqualified post-race. Prior to that, Hamilton crossed the line first at Silverstone. Since then, he’s endured a 16-race winless streak, and combined with a prior 56-race drought, he has only two wins from his last 75 outings. Those victories, notably, came with Mercedes—a team still performing far better than Ferrari in the constructors’ standings this year.

Hamilton’s trajectory mirrors those of other racing greats who have seen their winning ways extinguished as they near the twilight of their careers. The tale of Richard Petty’s 200-win NASCAR legacy followed by an unbreakable 0-for-241 skid looms large. A.J. Foyt won his 67th IndyCar race in 1981 but spent 12 winless years searching for another. Even Michael Schumacher, the man Hamilton dethroned as Formula 1’s greatest of all time, experienced a winless stretch of 58 races when he returned to the grid with Mercedes in 2010.

The Mental Challenges of a Champion

That sense of growing doubt all too often accompanies aging racers, as Jimmie Johnson, a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, explained:

"Once that momentum shifts and starts working against you, it's hard to turn it around. I had the same crew for most of my career, then had big changes at the end. That tests your patience. It tests your fire. That's where Lewis is right now."

Hamilton finds himself amid exactly that type of test—a fight to reclaim his spark, his confidence, and his consistency. And while this slump may leave him frustrated, history shows that failure to adapt can extinguish the fire for good.

Rick Mears, the iconic four-time Indy 500 winner, summed it up perfectly: "One day, I got to the garage and asked the team, 'What are we doing today?' I knew right then that the fire had gone out."

Looking Ahead to 2026: Hope in the New Era

As Ferrari continues to lag behind its competitors, much of the narrative surrounding Hamilton’s future is now shifting to 2026, when Formula 1 will introduce its next-generation car—a lighter, more aerodynamically efficient machine designed to level the playing field. Hamilton has hinted at his excitement for the new regulations, signaling hope that they could usher in fresh opportunities.

But hope alone isn’t enough. Hamilton must endure the grind, the bad weekends, and the relentless introspection that leaves him questioning his abilities. A single victory—however elusive it may seem—could reignite his confidence and the team’s belief, paving the way for a turnaround in 2026.

Damon Hill, the 1996 world champion, underscored that there is validation in a driver's ability to help a struggling team, saying, "No one is ever going to call Ferrari a Jordan, but if you can turn a struggling team around … there is certainly validation there."

Lessons from Racing Veterans

Hamilton’s plight brings to mind the story of Fernando Alonso, another champion who has spent years chasing an elusive victory. Alonso hasn’t won since 2013 but continues to press forward, believing one last triumph could be within reach. Similarly, Helio Castroneves rejuvenated his career with a stunning Indy 500 victory in 2021, two decades after his first win.

All Eyes on Imola

For now, all eyes are on Imola this weekend as Hamilton sets out to defy the odds and find his way back to Formula 1’s top step. If he does, it might just signal the birth of one of motorsport’s most remarkable comeback stories. If not, then perhaps the dream of winning again comes down solely to Ferrari’s ability to deliver in 2026.

And if they do … we may see Lewis Hamilton doing what he’s always done best: making history, defying expectations, and reclaiming the throne one final time.

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