Hamilton's Struggles at Ferrari: A Pivotal Phase in F1 Journey

London, Aug 18 (AP) Lewis Hamilton's aspirations for an eighth Formula 1 title with Ferrari seem to be veering off course.

His remarks at the Hungarian Grand Prix in early August raised alarms among Hamilton and Ferrari fans, as the seven-time champion described himself as “absolutely useless.” He suggested that Ferrari might want to consider his replacement and hinted at underlying issues. “There's a lot going on in the background that is not great,” Hamilton remarked.

With a four-week interval ahead of next week's Dutch Grand Prix, Michael E. Sawyer, author of Hamilton's biography “Sir Lewis,” published this year, sees this as a necessary pause.

“I think he's venting, I think he's down. I think the summer break couldn’t have come at a better time for him,” Sawyer shared with The Associated Press. “It gives him a chance to reflect and think through exactly what the approach is going to be.”

Hamilton appears to be taking a breather, as indicated by his social media posts last week, featuring images in the countryside with his favorite bulldog, Roscoe, captioned “DND” — seemingly short for “do not disturb.”

Despite concerns, Ferrari maintains its confidence in Hamilton, though former F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone has advised him to end his illustrious career. Hamilton “would be cheating himself if he goes on,” Ecclestone told the Daily Mail recently.

How can Hamilton navigate back to the forefront of the F1 circuit? All too often, he's been lagging in Saturday's qualifying sessions, resulting in wasted race pace by having to climb from the midfield.

“Every time, every time,” Hamilton expressed his frustration after qualifying 12th at the Hungarian Grand Prix, as his teammate Charles Leclerc secured pole position.

Sawyer contends that the break could most benefit Hamilton's qualifying struggles. While his competitive pace was evident while making strategic moves on a wet track in Belgium last month, it hasn't consistently translated to Saturdays.

Hamilton’s transition to Ferrari was never merely about the short-term. The team emphasized that signing Hamilton was a long-term plan despite his age — he turned 40 in January — and supported his need to adapt to a different vehicle.

When not expressing frustration over his race results, Hamilton has highlighted his involvement in developing Ferrari's 2026 car, when new F1 regulations will likely alter the current order.

Positioning Hamilton as a key figure in the 2026 car's design outlook provides “reason for him to be really optimistic about the possibilities because there's going to be so much shifting around on the grid,” Sawyer noted. “There's going to be a chance for someone as savvy and experienced as him to take advantage of that.”

The worst-case scenario for Ferrari could be an unexpected Hamilton retirement, which would impact the brand's image and leave the team without a top-tier driver alongside Leclerc for the next season.

Among its reserve drivers, Zhou Guanyu has a career-best finish of eighth at Sauber, and Antonio Giovinazzi last raced in F1 in 2021. Ferrari might also consider Haas rookie Oliver Bearman.

Nonetheless, if Ferrari’s gamble pays off, Hamilton has the potential to once again redefine F1 success. He approaches 41 in January, racing for an eighth world championship to surpass Michael Schumacher and attain a singular place in the record books. Hamilton could emerge as the oldest race winner since 1994 and the oldest champion since 1966. Sawyer believes it would eclipse all his previous titles.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt about that,” Sawyer said. “I think it would be his greatest title yet. The comeback story would be extraordinary.”

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