When Hamilton announced his move to Ferrari, the entire F1 world lit up with excitement.
The seven-time world champion, the record man, the driver who rewrote the history of the top category, ready to wear red and chase the world title dream with the Prancing Horse. Fans expected fireworks, magic on the track, duels with Verstappen and, why not, an internal rivalry with Leclerc worthy of the Prost-Senna days.
And instead… nothing.
The early part of the 2025 season has shown us a dull Hamilton, often struggling and constantly behind his teammate. The car is the same, of course, but the approach seems completely different. While Leclerc appears to handle the SF-25 with ease, Lewis is struggling, complaining about too much understeer, lack of feeling, and an inability to manage the tires. The classic symptoms of a tricky car, one he doesn’t seem to control like Charles does.
Technique or psychology?
In Maranello, they immediately began to ask questions: is it an adaptation issue? Driving style? Communication with the engineers? Some even mentioned difficulties with the simulator. There are those who suggest that Lewis, used to a “tame” Mercedes during the golden years, can’t adapt his approach, and others point out that the SF-25 needs to be driven “like Leclerc does” – with surgical precision and mechanical sensitivity, especially when entering corners.
Analyses are everywhere: from differences in brake system management, to tire activation, to not using the engine brake effectively. Some even bring up his private life, stress, and the pressure of having to win at all costs with the most iconic team in motorsport. Yet, nothing truly explains it. The technical tools in hand don’t justify such lackluster performances. Something is missing. A detail, a backstory, a mystery.
A revealing detail
The breakthrough comes from an almost unnoticed observation in a video published by Time during a photo shoot with the British driver. There, Hamilton candidly admits something that, on the surface, seems unrelated to his performance on the track: he’s allergic to horses. But not just mildly allergic. No, no. Severely allergic…
So much so that even a photo shoot becomes difficult if a horse is nearby. And at that point, the puzzle solves itself. The symbol of Ferrari? A Prancing Horse, black like the one used in the Time shoot. The heartbeat of the team, present everywhere: on suits, helmets, factory walls, even staff keychains. The horse is literally everywhere.
An exclusive behind-the-scenes look
We can exclusively reveal what happened on his first day at Maranello, something not shown in the team’s official videos, during the arrival of the superstar from Stevenage. Picture the scene: the champion approaches the car and… sneeze. Another sneeze. And another one.
It’s not his feel for the SF-25 that’s causing chaos, but the very symbol of the team! The Prancing Horse, constantly reminding him that unlike at Mercedes, in Ferrari it’s not just about speed… but also about allergies! So now he has to load up on antihistamines every time he heads to the factory. Same goes for race weekends.
When the Horse becomes the enemy
Who would have thought Hamilton’s true rival would be a simple symbol? Every time he nears the car, his immune system goes on high alert. The emblem of power and speed becomes an insurmountable trap for the seven-time world champion. A simple “Prancing Horse”, and everything falls apart in no time…
Shortness of breath, red eyes, and on-track performances that suffer. The paddock, in its usual sarcastic tone, has already started to joke. Ahead of the Miami Grand Prix in about ten days, word is someone from the Mercedes staff sent a stuffed horse to Maranello, complete with a note addressed to the Black King:
“For Lewis, in case of crisis…”
Lewis Hamilton’s look after a disappointing qualifying in Jeddah
Christian Horner, asked about the situation, responded with a smirk:
“We hadn’t thought of that, but now it all makes sense. Now we understand Lewis’s rather shocking statements from last weekend, where he said there were no solutions at the moment, and that things would likely remain that way for the rest of the season…”
P.S.: Sometimes joking about problems is good for the soul 🙂
P.S.2: The severe horse allergy isn’t a joke though! Check out the video below where he admits it himself 🙂
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