Hamilton Reflects on Struggles with Ferrari After Disappointing Hungarian GP Qualifying
Lewis Hamilton’s Frustration Boils Over After Another Disappointing Qualifying in Hungary
BUDAPEST, Hungary — A visibly frustrated Lewis Hamilton didn't mince his words following a lackluster qualifying session for the Hungarian Grand Prix. After failing to advance to Q3 by a mere 0.015 seconds, the seven-time world champion found himself in 12th place on the grid, a position he admitted was hard to swallow. In a stinging self-assessment, Hamilton declared himself "absolutely useless" and suggested Ferrari "probably need to change driver."
The Briton’s somber remarks stood in stark contrast to the celebrations in the Ferrari garage, where teammate Charles Leclerc shocked the paddock by snatching pole position ahead of McLaren’s traditionally dominant cars. Watching Leclerc’s triumph from the sidelines only deepened Hamilton’s frustration.
Upon returning to the pits after another frustrating session, a dejected Hamilton aired his discontent over the team radio. “Every time, every time,” he said.
When pressed by Sky Sports about the comment's meaning, Hamilton didn’t hold back: “It’s just me every time,” he said, before lamenting further, “I am useless. Absolutely useless.”
The tension didn’t stop there. When asked about Ferrari’s apparent efforts to tailor the SF-23 car to his driving preferences, Hamilton deflected any blame from the team. “The team has no problem. You can see the car is on pole [with Leclerc]. They probably need to change driver,” he said.
A Season of Struggles
This latest qualifying result marks another chapter in what has been a tough debut season for Hamilton at Ferrari. Since making the high-profile switch from Mercedes in the offseason, the 38-year-old has grappled with adapting to the Ferrari’s characteristics. Despite flashes of promise, including a sprint race victory at the Chinese Grand Prix, the results in the main events have eluded him. He has yet to secure a podium finish in the first 13 races of the season.
Adding to his woes, Saturday’s performance in Budapest was Hamilton’s third straight qualifying disappointment. It followed an early exit in both the sprint qualifying session in Belgium and traditional qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix just weeks ago.
While Hamilton managed a commendable recovery to seventh in Spa after starting from the pit lane in rainy conditions, he remains skeptical about Hungary offering a similar redemption story, even with rain predicted for Sunday’s race. “I don’t think anything can help me right now,” Hamilton said flatly.
Looking Ahead
For Ferrari, the disparity between Leclerc’s pole position and Hamilton’s struggles is both a cause for celebration and concern. While Leclerc continues to deliver unexpected highs, the team will need to decide how to best address Hamilton’s ongoing challenges.
As the second half of the season looms, the focus is likely to shift to whether driver and team can align on a solution—or whether Hamilton’s own ominous suggestion about a driver change will become a conversation Ferrari leadership might have to entertain. For now, the spotlight remains firmly on Budapest, where Hamilton will hope for a change in fortunes when the lights go out for Sunday’s race.
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