{"id":44793,"date":"2025-08-05T07:31:10","date_gmt":"2025-08-05T07:31:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/44793\/"},"modified":"2025-08-05T07:31:10","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T07:31:10","slug":"f1-news-fred-vasseur-shuts-down-lewis-hamilton-exit-fears-after-hungary-meltdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/44793\/","title":{"rendered":"F1 news: Fred Vasseur shuts down Lewis Hamilton exit fears after Hungary meltdown"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Vasseur
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFerrari team principal Fred Vasseur has defended Lewis Hamilton after his comments in Hungary. Image: XPB Images<\/p>\n

Hamilton endured a miserable outing in Budapest, exiting qualifying in Q2 while teammate Charles Leclerc stormed to a surprise pole<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Briton\u2019s frustration boiled over in a series of raw post-session interviews<\/a>, in which he labelled himself \u201cabsolutely useless\u201d and bluntly remarked that Ferrari \u201cprobably need to change driver.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the harsh self-assessment, Vasseur was quick to defend his driver, insisting Hamilton\u2019s disappointment stemmed from passion, not a lack of motivation.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t need to motivate him, honestly. He\u2019s frustrated, but not demotivated. It\u2019s a completely different story,\u201d Vasseur said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can perfectly understand the situation and you can, sometimes you are making comments on what the driver is saying to the car, but if you put the microphone on some other sportsman in football and so on, I\u2019m not sure that it would be much better.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes they are making [rash] comments, even when they jump out of the car. I can understand the frustration, but we are all frustrated and sometimes if you ask me, I can\u2019t say this, I will go to the stewards.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut sometimes just after the race, or just after the quali, you are very disappointed and the reaction, the first reaction is harsh, but we all know that we are pushing in the same direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vasseur\u2019s comments followed a weekend in which Hamilton\u2019s frustrations extended beyond qualifying.<\/p>\n

He finished Sunday\u2019s race in 12th \u2014 marking only the second time in 19 visits to the Hungaroring that he has failed to score points \u2014 and clashed with Max Verstappen during a tense mid-race battle.<\/p>\n

In another sign of his dejection, Hamilton\u2019s post-race interviews continued in a similarly sombre tone<\/a>. When asked if he would return after the summer break, the 40-year-old replied: \u201cHopefully I will be back, yeah.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hamilton continues self-criticism, Leclerc fumes over lost podium<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

That remark fuelled further speculation about Hamilton\u2019s mental state and future at Ferrari, prompting Vasseur to again dismiss any concerns over the Briton\u2019s commitment.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he\u2019s demanding, but I think it\u2019s also why he is a seven-time world champion,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat he is demanding with the team, with the car, with the engineers, with the mechanics, with myself also, but first of all, he is very demanding with himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hamilton\u2019s downturn in Hungary continued a run of underwhelming performances in what has been a challenging debut season with the Scuderia.<\/p>\n

While Leclerc has climbed the podium five times in 2025, Hamilton is yet to appear in the top three during a grand prix. His best results so far have been three fourth-place finishes. He currently sits sixth in the drivers\u2019 championship, 42 points behind his teammate.<\/p>\n

That contrast has led to renewed speculation over Hamilton\u2019s future, with former F1 driver and Sky pundit Ralf Schumacher suggesting retirement could be looming sooner than expected.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s not really getting to grips with the car,\u201d Schumacher said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe doesn\u2019t really know how to handle it. He obviously can\u2019t completely change his driving style.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s exactly what I said at the beginning of the year. If things continue like this, there will come a time when Ferrari will have to choose one driver and can\u2019t build a car for both. And then things will get tight.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow he\u2019s starting to doubt himself more and more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Schumacher reflected on his own experiences with declining performance late in his career, which ultimately led him to step away.<\/p>\n

\u201cPersonally, I\u2019ve had the same experience,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was in the DTM, where I said, \u2018Okay, there\u2019s no point in this anymore.\u2019 I handed the car in a year early.<\/p>\n

\u201cI trust him to be able to do it and to do it. Because it\u2019s such a bitter disappointment, and he doesn\u2019t know what to do. Not immediately, of course, but something like that can always happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, others have backed Hamilton to find his form, including F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, who called the British driver a \u201cjewel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018He is an incredible athlete, so no matter if it is a difficult moment, he will react, and I\u2019m pretty sure he will show the reason why he is here,\u201d Domenicali told Sky Sports F1.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wants to achieve his eighth title, and he will triumph again. So, stay with Lewis and he will do a great race, and be very, very strong after the summer [break].\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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