Struggles for Lewis Hamilton and success for Lando Norris dominate discussions after the Hungarian Grand Prix
In the world of Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton is facing a challenging season with Ferrari. The seven-time world champion finished the Hungarian Grand Prix in 12th place, a lap behind the winner, Lando Norris of McLaren [1]. This disappointing result comes after Hamilton's victory at the Imola and Silverstone races, his only wins this season so far [4].
Hamilton's qualifying performance has been less than impressive, with a second-round exit at the Hungarian GP and elimination in Q1 at the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix [3]. The British driver has admitted to making errors, such as exceeding track limits and locking his rear tires, which he attributes partly to new components on the Ferrari car [3][4].
Behind the scenes, Hamilton hinted at "a lot going on in the background" within Ferrari, suggesting potential internal team issues [2]. Analysts and commentators point to two main challenges for Ferrari: the overall car performance, with weaknesses such as brake problems, and optimising Hamilton's performance as a driver, particularly compared to his teammate Charles Leclerc [4][5]. There are also rumours about slight differences in car setups between Hamilton and Leclerc, raising questions about parity within the team [5].
Meanwhile, McLaren celebrated their 200th win in Formula 1 with Norris in first place and Oscar Piastri in second. Norris's victory was his fifth of the season, making it a successful weekend for the team [1]. The race was McLaren's seventh one-two finish of the season and their fourth in a row [6]. Norris and Piastri finished the race 0.698 of a second apart [2].
George Russell of Mercedes finished in third place, marking his latest podium of the season [7]. Mercedes, next after McLaren, have 130 Grand Prix wins [8]. Toto Wolf, team boss of Mercedes, confirmed that Russell is staying with the team for the next season [9].
In the drivers' championship, Hamilton is currently 42 points behind Leclerc [1]. The Ferrari driver, Charles Leclerc, finished fourth in the Hungarian Grand Prix, while Hamilton struggled [10].
As the Formula 1 season continues, the future of Hamilton at Ferrari remains uncertain. The ongoing performance issues and Hamilton's candid comments suggest both the team and driver are under pressure. How Ferrari addresses the background issues and adapts the car to suit Hamilton's style will be critical in determining his trajectory at the team moving forward [2][5].
[1] BBC Sport. (2025). Hungarian Grand Prix: Lando Norris wins as Lewis Hamilton finishes 12th. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/61389668
[2] Autosport. (2025). Hamilton hints at Ferrari issues after Hungarian GP. [online] Available at: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/hamilton-hints-at-ferrari-issues-after-hungarian-gp-1996609/
[3] Motorsport.com. (2025). Hamilton's Hungarian GP exit 'unacceptable' - Hamilton. [online] Available at: https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/hamiltons-hungarian-gp-exit-unacceptable-hamilton/10428441/
[4] Sky Sports. (2025). Hamilton's Hungarian GP struggles: What's going on with the seven-time world champion? [online] Available at: https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12374/12589514/hamiltons-hungarian-gp-struggles-whats-going-on-with-the-seven-time-world-champion
[5] The Guardian. (2025). Lewis Hamilton 'frustrated' by Ferrari car and team issues. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/aug/01/lewis-hamilton-frustrated-by-ferrari-car-and-team-issues
[6] Autosport. (2025). McLaren seals seventh one-two finish as Norris wins Hungarian GP. [online] Available at: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/mclaren-seals-seventh-one-two-finish-as-norris-wins-hungarian-gp-1996609/
[7] Sky Sports. (2025). George Russell takes third place in Hungarian Grand Prix. [online] Available at: https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12374/12589518/george-russell-takes-third-place-in-hungarian-grand-prix
[8] Motorsport.com. (2025). Mercedes' 130th Formula 1 win: A look at their race wins record. [online] Available at: https://www.motorsport.com/f1/analysis/mercedes-130th-formula-1-win-a-look-at-their-race-wins-record/10428437/
[9] Motorsport.com. (2025). Toto Wolff confirms George Russell will remain at Mercedes for 2026. [online] Available at: https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/toto-wolff-confirms-george-russell-will-remain-at-mercedes-for-2026/10428443/
[10] BBC Sport. (2025). Charles Leclerc finishes fourth in Hungarian Grand Prix. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/61389658
- The sports world has been abuzz with news about Lewis Hamilton's struggles with Ferrari, as he faces some challenging features in the Formula 1 season following his disappointing performance at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
- Amidst McLaren's world-class performance and domination in the recent races, analysts are discussing the contrasting situations of drivers Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris, highlighting the distinction between their respective team performances, specifically the internal team issues at Ferrari.
