'Lewis Hamilton Frustrated But...': Ferrari Boss Reacts After Briton's Listless Show In Hungary

Last Updated:August 04, 2025, 10:51 IST

At 40, talk of imminent retirement continue to circle around Lewis Hamilton.

Lewis Hamilton is 6th in the drivers' standings. (AP Photo)

Lewis Hamilton received support from his Ferrari team boss, Fred Vasseur, on Sunday, just hours after the Briton appeared dejected following a lackluster 12th place finish in the Hungarian Grand Prix. While his team-mate Charles Leclerc was unable to convert Ferrari’s first pole position of the season into victory due to unexplained mechanical issues during the race, seven-time champion Hamilton struggled to escape the midfield and finished where he started.

On Saturday, after being eliminated in Q2, Hamilton seemed miserable, describing himself as “completely useless" and suggesting the team should “bring in another driver." His deflated demeanour indicated the pressures of living up to the hype of his high-profile move from Mercedes, where he won six titles, and adapting to the culture, car, and expectations at Ferrari were overwhelming him.

At 40, rumours of imminent retirement surrounded him. However, Vasseur quickly defended Hamilton, who is known for his impulsive heart-on-sleeve reactions.

“I don’t need to motivate him," said Vasseur. “Honestly, he’s frustrated, but not demotivated. He’s demanding, but I think it’s also why he’s a seven-time world champion. I can perfectly understand this situation. Sometimes, you hear comments from drivers during the race, but if you put a microphone on other sportsmen, in football and so on, I’m not sure it would be much better.

“Sometimes, just after the race or qualifying, you’re very disappointed, and your initial reaction is harsh. I understand the frustration, but we’re all frustrated."

Vasseur added that Hamilton’s weekend seemed worse than it really was due to the tight and competitive times that caused him to miss out on reaching Q3 on Saturday.

“For sure, when you’re a seven-time world champion, and your team-mate is on pole position while you’re out in Q2, it’s a tough situation," he said. “But we can also take a closer look and see that he was ahead of Charles in Q1 and was only one-tenth off in Q2 with the first set. We were close to having both cars out in Q2.

“I understand Lewis’s frustration. That’s normal, and he will come back. He was stuck in a DRS train, but when he was alone, his pace was good. I’m sure he will be back and perform."

Fourth-placed Leclerc supported his team-mate.

“At the end, we are one team and as much as I want to finish ahead of Lewis, I want both of us to be successful and for Ferrari to be successful. Obviously, this weekend has been tough for Lewis," Leclerc said.

“But I have no doubt that it’s a one-off, and I’m sure the second part of the season will be much more positive."

Hamilton, currently sixth in the drivers’ standings and without a podium for Ferrari this year, said he was looking forward to a much-needed “break from work" during F1’s August holiday before the Dutch Grand Prix on the final weekend of this month.

With AFP Inputs

Feroz Khan

Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience in digital...Read More

Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience in digital...

Read More

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Location :

Budapest, Hungary

First Published:

August 04, 2025, 10:51 IST

News sports 'Lewis Hamilton Frustrated But...': Ferrari Boss Reacts After Briton's Listless Show In Hungary

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