Lewis Hamilton’s struggles throughout his debut marketing campaign with Ferrari hit a brand new low on the Hungarian Grand Prix – and weren’t aided by a workforce radio name.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton failed to achieve Q3 and will solely end twelfth at considered one of his favorite and most profitable F1 tracks, whereas teammate Charles Leclerc claimed a shock pole and took fourth.
A despondent Lewis Hamilton declared himself “ineffective” throughout the torrid weekend and even recommended Ferrari ought to “change driver” throughout the F1 summer time break as his efficiency woes continued.
Sky Sports activities F1 pundit and three-time W Collection champion Jamie Chadwick mentioned Hamilton’s troubles are “very exhausting listening”.
“It’s positively not the fairytale we have been all hoping for, that’s for certain,” Chadwick advised the Sky Sports activities F1 podcast.
“It’s been a extremely robust few races. In that race, lap seven, he was being advised to elevate extra to handle overheating. As a driver, you’re already having a troublesome weekend, and also you’re advised you’ll be able to’t even assault to attempt to make up for it.
“He simply had a troublesome weekend. It’s compounded points that we’ve seen earlier within the yr. I feel a part of the explanation he’s so down on himself and so annoyed is as a result of he’s gone there to attempt to win an eighth world title. He desires to win the title and be successful races weekend-in, weekend out.
“Even for those who simply have one or two unhealthy weekends, that’s irritating when he is aware of what he’s there to attempt to obtain. It’s very exhausting listening to be sincere.
“I actually hope the summer time break provides time for not simply him, however Ferrari, to mirror and discover a means out to get the most effective out of him. It’s not good for anybody to listen to that, however significantly from a driving viewpoint.”
Lewis Hamilton has ‘unfinished enterprise’
Each Ferrari workforce principal Fred Vasseur and former Mercedes workforce boss Toto Wolff strongly defended Hamilton amid his present run of underwhelming performances.
Vasseur insisted Hamilton is “annoyed however not demotivated” whereas Wolff burdened the 40-year-old Briton has “unfinished enterprise” in F1 as he continues his quest to win a record-breaking eighth world title.
“Lewis has unfinished enterprise in F1, in the identical means that Mercedes underperformed over this final over this newest set of laws since 2022, we sort of by no means bought pleased with floor impact automobiles,” Wolff advised media together with Crash.internet after Sunday’s race in Budapest.
“In the identical means, possibly it is linked to driving model.
“He should not go anyplace. Subsequent yr we’ve brand-new automobiles, fully completely different to drive new energy models that want an clever means of managing the power.
“That is completely on for Lewis. I hope he stays on for a lot of extra years, and positively subsequent yr goes to be necessary one.”
Requested whether or not Hamilton can win an eighth world title, Wolff replied: “If he has a automobile that offers him confidence in does what he desires, then sure.
“If he has a automobile that’s not giving him the suggestions that he desires, and that was the sequence of the previous few years, and it appears to be within the Ferrari [it’s] even worse, then no.
“However you ask me whether or not he has it, he positively has it.”
