How Lewis Hamilton’s Hungary remarks put pressure on Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton’s frustration in Hungary sounded like a warning to Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton was visibly dejected in Hungary, and his post-session comments sounded like a clear warning to Ferrari.

For several race weekends now, Lewis Hamilton has struggled to find the right feeling with the car designed by the engineers of Scuderia Ferrari. This has made it difficult for him to perform during track sessions and has highlighted the comparison with his teammate. The situation became particularly evident after qualifying in Hungary, where Hamilton released some unusual remarks that were later widely discussed within the Formula 1 paddock.

The previous Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps had already left Ferrari fans disappointed. Supporters saw a solid performance from Charles Leclerc, but the same could not be said for Hamilton. Despite showing some improvement in Sunday’s race, the British driver had been knocked out in Q1 in both qualifying sessions of the Belgian weekend.

Things did not improve much in Hungary either, as Lewis Hamilton finished both qualifying and the race itself in twelfth place. After Saturday’s session, the number 44 looked particularly frustrated with the result he had just delivered. Speaking to journalists, Hamilton described himself as “useless” and even suggested that Ferrari should replace him with another driver. “Evidently in the hands of someone else this car works,” Hamilton said, pointing out the contrast with Charles Leclerc, who had just secured pole position.

Hamilton, the criticism was not directed at himself
Some interpreted these statements from the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion as signs of weakness. Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya, however, offered a different reading of Hamilton’s words. According to Montoya, the British driver is certainly not going through an easy period at Ferrari, but his comments should be understood as a clear message to the team at Maranello.

“It is a way of telling Ferrari: if you do not listen to me, then you might as well send me away,” Montoya explained. “The main problem is that Lewis is not receiving the attention he wants, and the team is not paying enough attention to what he wants and what he is fighting for.”

Juan Pablo Montoya then elaborated on what he sees as the deeper issue, pointing to a cultural difference in approach. “I think Ferrari has a very structured way of doing things,” he said, noting that this creates a contrast between the Italian team’s traditions and Hamilton’s strong desire to get back to winning ways. “I think there is an internal struggle between those who say Ferrari must listen to Lewis and those who argue that ‘we need to change our methods’.”

The Colombian also highlighted how difficult the situation is, given Ferrari’s strong traditions and internal politics. “It is really very difficult because in Ferrari there is a lot of tradition and a lot of politics. And I think Lewis is more accustomed to Mercedes’ perspective, which is: ‘What do we need to do to win?’. It is not a question of politics, at Mercedes the foundation of the work is results.”