Lewis Hamilton has broken his silence after internal Ferrari data was leaked, revealing key performance differences between him and teammate Charles Leclerc — data that has reportedly left the seven-time world champion feeling embarrassed and under pressure.

The leaked telemetry showed Hamilton’s difficulty adapting to Ferrari’s braking system, with analysis indicating he is losing time to Leclerc during the braking phase, particularly in high-speed corners. The revelation comes amid a challenging start to Hamilton’s debut season at Ferrari in 2025, where he has yet to finish ahead of Leclerc in a full race.

Speaking ahead of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, Hamilton acknowledged the struggle, attributing it to the adjustment period required with a new team and a different car philosophy.

“Obviously the engineers that I’m working with now are used to setting up the car for a different driver and a different driver’s style,” Hamilton said. “And I’m used to driving a car with a different driving style, so it’s just a combination of different things.”

Ferrari’s only victory this season came in the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race, where Hamilton took pole and led from start to finish. However, technical tweaks to his car before the main race led to a loss of pace and eventual disqualification due to excessive plank wear. Since then, Hamilton has only managed one more podium — in the Miami sprint — and has consistently trailed Leclerc in full race results.

Sky Sports’ Alex Brundle, speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, gave a deeper insight into the data. He stated:

“I look at Hamilton’s data every week, and the trait is the same. He goes into the high-speed corners, he hits a little bit more brake pressure than Leclerc. And you can draw a line directly up the wheel speed graph to the steering trace — the brake aligned perfectly with a tiny bit of movement. So that upsets the Ferrari, everywhere. Leclerc is just Mr. Measured on the brakes.”

Brundle added that Hamilton showed similar braking inconsistencies during his final year at Mercedes, sparking questions about whether the 39-year-old can adapt his deeply ingrained driving technique.

Tension reportedly grew after the Miami Grand Prix, where a delayed team order prevented Hamilton — who was on faster tyres — from passing Leclerc in time to challenge for higher positions. Ferrari’s eventual decision to swap the drivers back was deemed too late by many observers.

Despite the scrutiny, Hamilton remains determined to adapt and improve. The Briton’s technical feedback has already begun shaping Ferrari’s future updates, but insiders say he is “frustrated” by the slow progress.

As the season continues, all eyes will be on whether Hamilton can adjust to the unique demands of the Ferrari and reassert himself against a teammate who seems increasingly comfortable in the current package.