Lewis Hamilton has Ferrari 'promises broken' after Hungarian Grand Prix display
Ferrari has been accused of failing to deliver on promises made to Lewis Hamilton following his confession that matters are "not great" behind the scenes. The seven-time world champion could only manage 12th place at the Hungarian Grand Prix last weekend, with teammate Charles Leclerc coming fourth in the race.
After the race, Hamilton didn't hold back when discussing his troubled spell with the Italian outfit. Speaking to Sky Sports F1, the 40-year-old said: "When you have a feeling, you have a feeling. There's a lot going on in the background that is not great."
This cryptic comment appears to imply that turmoil is brewing behind closed doors as Hamilton struggles to keep pace with teammate Leclerc, who is now 42 points ahead of the seven-time champion in the drivers' standings on 151 points.
When asked if he was eager to return following the sport's summer hiatus, Hamilton added: "I look forward to coming back... hopefully I will be back, yeah."
Plenty have interpreted Hamilton's words as referring to bouncing back to his championship-winning form, though some supporters fear this might signal something more drastic regarding his future, having alarmingly told Ferrari last weekend to replace him.
After the Hungarian GP, former F1 team boss Gian Carlo Minardi told Gazzetta dello Sport that he believes Ferrari had broken promises with Hamilton during their partnership this season.
He said: "From various interviews, I understand [that] Lewis is complaining about things that were promised to him but haven't arrived. It's difficult to make judgments, in any case. I think Ferrari are trying to find a better direction for Leclerc right now."
The 77-year-old stated he "expected something more" from the F1 team, urging Ferrari to do everything possible to keep Hamilton content for the foreseeable future - or risk losing him. "I thought Ferrari was aiming for technical continuity, after coming close to winning the constructors' championship in 2024, but that wasn't the case," Minardi said.
"As for Hamilton, it must be emphasised that after so many years with the same team, it's not easy to change working methods and languages. And he's also found a very fast team-mate.
"I believe the statements he made in Hungary, which many have criticised but which I consider a great driver, were meant to highlight Leclerc's level, as he had put a car on pole in which he had never finished higher than 12th."
He added: "It's unfair to say he's at the end of his career; when he's had the opportunity, he's shown he can still do important things. Only Ferrari knows exactly what's happening. It will be a crucial issue between now and the end of the season: we must prevent him from going elsewhere to prove he still has something to offer."
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur was swift to dismiss any rumours of unrest within the squad, insisting that Hamilton is simply frustrated but will bounce back to his peak performance soon. He said: "I don't need to motivate him. He is frustrated but not demotivated, that is a different story. I can perfectly understand the situation."
Whilst Hamilton has endured a difficult patch in recent outings, supporters will be eager to witness the former world champion rediscover his finest form behind the wheel - and one individual remains convinced that will occur.
Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team boss and one of Hamilton's closest allies in F1, believes his former driver must show greater trust in his abilities to reclaim his position at the summit.
Speaking following the latest race, Wolff said: "He was hard on himself. We have seen it before when he felt he had not met his own expectations. But he is the Goat. That is something he always needs to remember - that he is the greatest of all time."
Hamilton will join his fellow F1 competitors in unwinding during the sport's summer hiatus. The Dutch Grand Prix marks the championship's return to the track at the end of August.
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