IMO, Hamilton will quit, probably at the mid point of the season. He's got nothing to prove, he's not going to win another title at Ferrari, and the Tifosi will turn on him pretty soon. Is he really having fun? I don't think so.
I was thinking if, he left at summer break, move Bearman up as he would have some time to gain experience in previous Ferrari F1 cars. DO I see that happening? No. I think the greater chance is he leaves at the end of this season, if he leaves at all. Much depends on Elkann etc.
Yesterday he made a decent race, recovering from a not decent qualifying. He also nailed the sprint at China, so as much as I think Hamilton was a bad deal, there are still some signs of improvement. I´m not going to write him off completely for now. Anyway, forget about that he´s going to quit soon, there is a lot of money involved. Maybe at the end of the season, but even then I doubt it, he probably will like to see what´s going to happen with new rules.
Pre SC he was 8 seconds behind Leclerc and after the race again 8 seconds. Far from optimal IMO or what should be expected given his reputation. But I do agree with you, I think he'll see out his contract 2025 and 26, even getting beaten most weekends by Leclerc, 100m a year is a huge amount of money even considering how much he already has.
+1 I do not see a rash move by anyone with respect to LH. Charles has done what or won what so far? The double DQ did not help and things would not be as negative if China had gone better. The question is the appetite for time for LH to show better qualy improvement. Car updates as well but 2026 focus will start sooner rather than later for all teams.
Interesting insights from LH on the car, how it drives and how he drives it - the ongoing adjustments etc. https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/44658924/bahrain-gp-lewis-hamilton-says-figuring-alien-ferrari "It really does feel so alien," Hamilton said. "You know, sometimes I think we all get stuck in our ways, very stuck, and I need to keep driving the way I've been driving and just make the car come to me. "So I'm adjusting myself to the car and also just the too little tools they use, it drives so much differently." Hamilton, who finished a place behind Charles Leclerc, told Sky Sports he still had work to do to match his Ferrari teammate but added: "I think I've figured out how the car likes to drive so hopefully if I can apply that next week. I can qualify better and have a much better weekend. He expanded on his difficulties in the car to the written media. "I mean, just one example is this week, I've never used engine braking before," he said. "The past 12 years, never used engine braking -- but here we use a lot. "The brakes are just so much different to what I had in the past. In the last stint I also had to use the rears to turn the car, and other times you have to put more weight on the front, so it's probably a bigger balance window than I'm used to as well. "The middle stint felt really aligned with the car, the balance was in a spot, and my driving style seemed to be working in that moment. "I've learned a lot from today, and this weekend actually a lot, probably more than all the other weekends." Hamilton is seventh in the drivers' standings ahead of next weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah.
The safety car screwed Ferrari this weekend. It does look like this will be race to the championship between the 2 McLaren drivers. It's possible that George could stalk them and perhaps sneak through like Kimi did in 2007. I'm now pinning my hopes on Lewis knowing that Ferrari are going to be dominant in 2026!
4th race in: 2024 - Leclerc 60pts - Sainz 69pts Cumulative total = 129pts 2025 - Leclerc 32pts - Hamilton 25pts Cumulative total = 57pts
He can't develop a car. I've been saying it forever. And neither could vettel. Hell... Vettel forgot how to pass because he was always out front for so long. Hamilton can be fast in a fast car but he can't develop a car like Schumacher or senna or lauda etc...
You may be right but the cars are much more complicated today and without unlimited testing those greats would have possibly struggled as well. For me he needs more time but his age and ego is getting in the way. Another great decision by the team. Personally i would have kept Sainz. Tony
Hamilton is an instinctive driver, he just drives what he has without understanding what he does. When in a fast car, he is a fast driver. To help develop a car you need something more connected to reason than to instinct: intelligence. He's scarce on that one.
I think those that I named were significantly more focused on the drive/car. Hamilton seems to be distracted and has suffered because his greatness is just so present. I'm not sure how hard he had to work to cultivate it. He has extreme natural ability. I think he lacks logic in an a few ways and in the key portion of engineering. I don't think he knows how to talk with the cars engineers on what he wants. This obviously isn't exclusive to Ferrari. He had gotten so lucky at always being in the best car. Or rather his skill set was always to land himself in the best car.
The other problem plaguing Lewis now IMO is he doesn't have a fighting nature. If he feels or even thinks he won't win he doesn't give it his all and just phones it in. That's what we are experiencing now, you can see it in his eyes and demeanor.
I think those great drivers had to be more focused otherwise they would be dead. The current cars are so safe that they have become insular to danger, yes its still there but not as dangerous. His ego is now his biggest problem, was he lured by money. Its hard to turn down being paid those eye watering sums especially at his age so logic does exist in him. Agree with you I dont think he has the engineering skills but surely he learnt something at Mercedes or he was too stupid to listen! Prima donna perhaps? Best Tony
Interesting insight here by Schumacher's ex engineer at Ferrari on Sir Loulou making excuses: https://www.grandprix.com/news/ex-schumacher-engineer-notes-hamiltons-excuses.html
I genuinely thought the excuse of ''never having used engine braking'' was a fake news article. Honestly, who believes that ****? The F1 hybrid system specifically works by harvesting energy otherwise wasted from the rear axle under braking. There is a rotary specifically for this (and more deep dive settings too) called Engine Braking!!! Image Unavailable, Please Login Stop with the ****ing excuses Lewis. What an insecure ballbag.
But hey, at least Elkann didn't go all out fanboy when he saw the opportunity to get Lewis in a Ferrari, so he got a good deal! Oh no wait, he wrote him a €100m contract. Hope there will be some responsibility put onto Elkann if Lewis doesn't improve. The guy is at the end of his career and wanted to give Ferrari a try. At least try to cut a better deal if you're not paying for someone in his prime. Sorry, but this all seems more like a marketing stunt than Elkann being interested in F1 success. Could've spent some of the money on bonusses for the WEC guys who are crushing it. Excuses, excuses, excuses.
I wonder what the exit clause is on Ferrari's side. i,e, X amount of points away from Leclerc at halfway point of season, or consistently X amount of time slower. Get. Max.
2024 saw his ex-teammate, Russell, ahead of him: Russell was consistently faster both in qualy and in race, Hamilton was a dead horse by the time Elkann offered him Ferrari's bounty. Hamilton is too busy acting like the Messiah of fashion and obsessed to pretend he's elegant or something to focus on driving a car. His self-esteem has devoured the competitiveness out of him Image Unavailable, Please Login
