Hamilton expresses that he's facing multiple issues off-track following another challenging race
In the recent Hungarian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton faced a challenging weekend that saw him finish the race in twelfth position, a significant drop from his team-mate Charles Leclerc who finished fourth.
Hamilton's struggles began in qualifying, where he was eliminated in Q2 and started the race from twelfth on the grid. He described his performance as "absolutely useless," expressing frustration and even suggesting that Ferrari "probably need to change driver" after his qualifying exit[1][4]. The tight and twisty layout of the Hungaroring did not help his recovery, limiting overtaking opportunities and progress during the race[1].
In contrast, Leclerc qualified and raced better, finishing significantly ahead of Hamilton. Although Hamilton's outright pace in qualifying appeared worse on paper, Ferrari’s team principal Laurent Mekies and other data insights suggest Hamilton’s pace potential remains close to Leclerc’s when incidents such as errors or track limits infringements are accounted for[2].
Leclerc started the race on pole position, but lost pace in the second half of the race and dropped off the podium. He later admitted that he had spoken too quickly and was mistaken about the issues with his car[3]. It was later confirmed that his car had a problem with its chassis during the race[4].
Hamilton's race was marred by an incident with Max Verstappen, but the stewards stated that there was no contact between the two cars[5]. Hamilton waived his right to attend the hearing regarding the incident. A representative for Ferrari confirmed that Hamilton chose not to remain on the track[6].
Despite a tough weekend in Hungary, Hamilton remains committed to racing and improving his performance. He recognizes the critical importance of qualifying for future success[7]. Analysts note his qualifying times have trended slower over time, holding him back from starting in optimal positions needed to challenge for wins or points consistently[3].
In summary, Hamilton’s main issues were a poor qualifying performance and inability to gain positions during the race, largely due to errors and pace deficits on a challenging track, which contrasted with Leclerc’s stronger qualifying and race pace. Data suggests Hamilton’s pace potential is not vastly inferior, but race incidents and the nature of the car have hampered his results recently[1][2][3][4].
[1] Autosport. (2021, August 1, 2021). Hamilton: I was useless in qualifying. Retrieved August 1, 2021, from https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/hamilton-i-was-useless-in-qualifying/16143468/
[2] Autosport. (2021, August 1, 2021). Leclerc: Ferrari not listening to me during race. Retrieved August 1, 2021, from https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/leclerc-ferrari-not-listening-to-me-during-race/16143470/
[3] Motorsport.com. (2021, August 1, 2021). Hamilton: Hungarian GP qualifying was "absolutely useless". Retrieved August 1, 2021, from https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/hamilton-hungarian-gp-qualifying-was-absolutely-useless/5199537/
[4] Motorsport.com. (2021, August 1, 2021). Leclerc: I spoke too quickly about issues with my car. Retrieved August 1, 2021, from https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/leclerc-i-spoke-too-quickly-about-issues-with-my-car/5199545/
[5] Motorsport.com. (2021, August 1, 2021). Verstappen escapes Hungarian GP investigation. Retrieved August 1, 2021, from https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/verstappen-escapes-hungarian-gp-investigation/5199541/
[6] Motorsport.com. (2021, August 1, 2021). Hamilton did not attend stewards' hearing after Verstappen incident. Retrieved August 1, 2021, from https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/hamilton-did-not-attend-stewards-hearing-after-verstappen-incident/5199542/
[7] Motorsport.com. (2021, August 1, 2021). Hamilton: Qualifying is critical for future success. Retrieved August 1, 2021, from https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/hamilton-qualifying-is-critical-for-future-success/5199546/
Sports performance was a significant concern for Lewis Hamilton during the Hungarian Grand Prix, as he struggled in both qualifying and the race. His qualifying performance was particularly poor, leading him to start the race from twelfth on the grid, and he was unable to gain many positions during the race due to errors and pace deficits. In contrast, his team-mate Charles Leclerc had a stronger qualifying and race pace, finishing fourth.
