Lewis Hamilton Calls 2025 Brake Performance a ‘High-Stakes Lottery’

Lewis Hamilton has described the brake performance on his Ferrari as a “lottery” after practice sessions at the 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion shared his frustration after experiencing inconsistent brakes throughout the 2025 season, a problem that has forced him to adapt quickly since joining Ferrari from Mercedes.

Hamilton spent over 10 years with Mercedes, where he used Carbon Industrie brakes, but at Ferrari, he is working with Brembo equipment. On Friday, after a strong fifth-place showing in opening practice, Hamilton’s performance dipped to 11th in the afternoon session due to unexpected brake problems.

During early practice, Hamilton was often heard on team radio voicing concerns about the brakes. He explained that only minor car adjustments were made between the sessions—small changes that, in his experience, should not cause significant issues. For more on how brake systems work in Formula 1, check out this FIA technical guide.

However, he found that even the slightest tweaks led to big differences in brake behavior. Hamilton admitted that fighting to find consistency has become a new and major challenge for him this year.

Hamilton called the experience unique in his career. He made clear that the problem is not about adjusting to a different manufacturer, but about unpredictable variations in performance each time a new set of brakes is put on the car. To understand the engineering behind brake performance, refer to this MIT Motorsports research.

Sometimes one set works well, while another does not. Hamilton compared it to rolling dice, unsure what to expect every time he leaves the garage.

He said the team is working hard to find solutions and hopes for progress before qualifying.

Teammate Charles Leclerc also encountered difficulties with braking at Imola, despite making a return after illness. Leclerc managed sixth-fastest in the second practice session and echoed Hamilton’s concerns about pace over a single lap.

Both drivers see qualifying as a weakness at the moment, especially at tracks like Imola where overtaking during the race is often tough. Leclerc pointed out that, while race pace is more promising, Ferrari still needs to improve qualifying performance to fight at the very front. For a deeper dive into race strategies, visit Formula 1’s official analysis.

The McLaren team led both practice sessions, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris showing the strongest pace at Imola. After six races, Piastri and Norris also top the drivers’ standings, while McLaren leads the Constructors’ Championship.

Red Bull and Mercedes follow, with Ferrari currently fourth in the standings, trailing the leading teams as the European season gathers pace. For historical context on team performance, explore StatsF1’s comprehensive database.

The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix continues through the weekend, with qualifying scheduled for Saturday and the main race on Sunday. Hamilton and Ferrari supporters remain hopeful that the brake consistency issue will be addressed so the team can maximize their home race performance and challenge for better results as the season progresses.

For additional insights into performance challenges and equipment changes, see this recent analysis of race equipment.