Lewis Hamilton is receiving very heavy criticism during this season. His performances, in what is his first year driving for Ferrari, are proving to be far from those of his teammate Charles Leclerc. However, before striking the seven-time Formula 1 world champion too harshly, there is an important element to consider. As Günther Steiner pointed out in a recent interview given to Web.de, the British champion has never truly managed to shine at the wheel of these ground-effect cars that have been part of the technical regulations since 2022.
Even his internal comparison with George Russell during his final years at Mercedes was not particularly favorable. In 2024, when the performance level of the Mercedes W15 increased significantly, Hamilton was still able to take some important victories, one in front of his home fans at Silverstone and another in Belgium at Spa-Francorchamps. Yet, despite these successes, he was not capable of beating George Russell over the course of the full championship, finishing behind his younger teammate in the standings.
The real issue in this 2025 season, according to Steiner, is that the gap with Charles Leclerc is simply too large. The Monegasque driver has regularly managed to extract much more potential from the Ferrari SF-25, leaving Hamilton struggling to match his pace. This situation could lead the British driver, as Steiner suggested, to rethink his long-term plans and possibly take an early decision regarding his future if things do not improve quickly. The former Haas team principal, quoted by Crash.net, explained that the upcoming summer break could be a decisive period of reflection for Hamilton. It might offer him the opportunity to recharge and return stronger, or it could confirm that his struggles are unlikely to be resolved.
Steiner: “Hamilton does not need Formula 1”
Predicting what will happen next is extremely difficult. It is equally hard to believe that a few weeks of rest would be enough to put together the missing pieces that Hamilton has been unable to align over the first 14 Grands Prix of this season. For this reason, Steiner suggested that if Hamilton does not make progress in line with his own expectations, the scenario of a sudden retirement cannot be ruled out. The Austrian manager underlined that Hamilton has a life beyond Formula 1 and countless activities outside the sport. According to him, “He might simply say enough is enough. Lewis Hamilton is a global brand of his own. Usually, Formula 1 drivers need to remain in the championship to maintain visibility and relevance, but in Hamilton’s case, he does not need Formula 1 in order to continue being successful.”
What could keep the motivation alive for Lewis Hamilton, despite the current disappointing results with Ferrari, is the arrival of the new regulations in 2026. Those rules will revolutionize Formula 1 once again, with cars that will be completely different from those of the current era. Drivers will also have to adapt their driving styles to a fresh technical framework. It will represent a challenge, and at this point, no one can predict who will emerge as the strongest competitor once the new era begins.
However, this uncertainty might even act as a double-edged sword, in Steiner’s opinion. He recalled that Hamilton has struggled from the very beginning with the ground-effect generation of cars introduced in 2022. Looking towards 2026, it is impossible to determine who will adapt best, but Hamilton could well be tempted to test himself in this new chapter. At the same time, if the difficulties continue even after the regulations change, then it could mark the definitive end of his career. Steiner also underlined that should Hamilton decide to leave, he would most likely announce it in advance, giving Ferrari enough time to secure a proper replacement for such a high-profile seat.
Currently, Lewis Hamilton has a contract with Scuderia Ferrari that runs until the end of 2026, with a possible option to extend it further into 2027. Nevertheless, as Formula 1 has often shown throughout its history, nothing should ever be considered certain or taken for granted, not even the details written in a driver’s contract.
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