A former F1 champion has given Lewis Hamilton some advice about how he can bounce back in the second half of the 2025 season.
Hamilton has had a nightmare start to his time with Ferrari, having not picked up a grand prix podium since joining the Scuderia at the start of the year, now sitting sixth in the drivers’ championship.
His team-mate Charles Leclerc has claimed five podiums already this season, and is currently 42 points ahead of Hamilton across their first campaign together.
At the Hungarian Grand Prix last time out, Hamilton qualified in 12th and then could not improve on that position during the race, sparking some incredibly downbeat interviews across the weekend.
On Saturday, Hamilton told Sky Sports F1’s Rachel Brookes that he was ‘useless’, even suggesting his team should consider axing him.
After Sunday’s race, he said there was ‘a lot going on in the background that isn’t great’, leading some to speculate whether or not the seven-time world champion will see out his full Ferrari contract, which expires at the end of 2026.
Now, another British F1 champion in Damon Hill has suggested Hamilton needs a good break away from the sport, telling him to go on holiday during the summer break.
“Just seen the race, good race,” Hill wrote on X. “The way we like it. Bit of a brave move by Oscar. Could have ended…differently!
“Sad to see Sir Lewis so downhearted. It’s tough to know when it’s time. Another year? It gets harder. Maybe a good holiday is needed?”
Barring a stunning victory during the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race all the way back in March, Hamilton has not even come close to winning a race with his Ferrari team.
His best grand prix finish across the season is fourth, and his 12th place at the Hungaroring represents a new low for the 40-year-old on a weekend where Leclerc put the SF-25 on pole.
Ferrari will be looking to pick their star signing up and rebuild his confidence in the car as they now look to build towards what will be a crucial 2026 season for the Maranello outfit.
For Hamilton, next year represents an opportunity to try his hand at driving a completely different style of car, with wholesale regulation changes meaning both car designs and power units will undergo radical tweaks.
It’s clear that the current generation of cars have not been to Hamilton’s liking, with the most successful driver in F1 history only picking up two grands prix wins since the ground effect era began in 2022.
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