Lewis Hamilton's below par performance could raise pressure from the Ferrari board, remarks F1 pundit

Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari dream has jetted off to a horrific start, with the former struggling to adapt to the red car. Interestingly, F1 pundit Mark Hughes has claimed that Hamilton's underperformance has put the Ferrari board under pressure.

Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, is a big name in Formula 1. When he dumped Mercedes to join Ferrari this year, the sporting world was abuzz. However, his performance in the red suit has failed to match the hype. In five races so far, he has scored 31 points without a single podium (except for the sprint race win in China).

Amid criticism around Hamilton's below-par performance, F1 pundit Mark Hughes has shed light on the effect of the Brit's downfall on the Ferrari board. Hughes explained that Ferrari chairman John Elkann personally pushed for Lewis Hamilton's signing, which puts him in a spot.

Moreover, since both the driver and the Italian team hold legendary status in F1, any bad performance gets extra attention and pressure. These factors could likely lead to pressure from the Ferrari board, which might filter down to team principal Fred Vasseur and then Hamilton himself.

"He is more than aware of how his underperformance is generating mounting pressure from Ferrari management onto the team, from within the team itself, and from F1 towards the team. A driver with the enormous profile of Hamilton and a team with the immense profile of Ferrari amplify that pressure tenfold, perhaps more than it would in any other driver/team combination," Hughes wrote in his column with The Race.

Lewis Hamilton's struggles intensified after his sprint race victory in China. Ferrari changed the setup of his car and got disqualified from the main Grand Prix due to excessive plank wear. Since then, the team has reportedly been avoiding committing the same error. But the changes have likely made Hamilton more uncomfortable with the car.

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Lewis Hamilton's woes unlikely to end as Ferrari delays upgrades

Lewis Hamilton at F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia - Previews - Source: Getty

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has confirmed that the next upgrade package for the SF-25 will be delayed. He explained that since the upcoming race weekend in Miami includes a sprint race, Ferrari will wait until Imola to introduce new upgrades.

Talking to Planet F1, Vasseur said:

“Miami, there is the sprint race and little time to work; we will probably bring updates to Imola."

Previously, Ferrari brought a floor upgrade in Bahrain, which reportedly led to marginal improvements.

Meanwhile, the delay in upgrades means bad news for Lewis Hamilton. After finishing P7 in the Saudi Arabian GP, he remarked that he is unlikely to see any improvements for the rest of the season, as there are no quick fixes. This statement led to widespread debate about Hamilton's future with Ferrari.