He will always be the GOAT

Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff has responded to Lewis Hamilton’s recent comments during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, which have raised questions about the Briton’s future in Formula 1.

The seven-time champion was frustrated after a disappointing qualifying yesterday. While speaking to the media after securing P12 on the grid for the race, Hamilton said he was “useless” and that Ferrari should consider choosing another driver.

The gloomy comments continued from Hamilton following the race, which he finished in the same position he started in, missing out on points. When asked by Sky Sports F1 to clarify his remarks from Saturday, the Ferrari driver said, “Not particularly, when you have a feeling, you have a feeling. There’s a lot going on in the background that’s not great, so…”

Wolff, who still has a strong relationship with Hamilton after his 12-year stint with Mercedes, explained that the driver has always been “emotionally transparent.”

“No, that is Lewis wearing his heart on his sleeve,” Wolff explained to Motorsport.com and other media. “It’s what he thought very much when he was asked after the session was very raw.

“He was doubting himself, and we had it in the past. When he felt that he had underperformed his own expectations, and the team had its own goal, he’s been that emotional, emotionally transparent since he was a young boy, a young adult.

“So, he’s going to beat himself up. He’s the GOAT. And he will always be the GOAT, and nobody’s going to take that away. For sure, no single weekend or race season that hasn’t gone to plan.”

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Photo by: Clive Rose / Getty Images

When asked if he could see Hamilton deciding to retire from the series, Wolff added: “Lewis has unfinished business in Formula 1. In the same way that Mercedes underperformed over this latest set of regulations since 2022, he kind of never got happy with ground effect cars, in the same way, it beats him. Maybe it’s linked to driving style.

“So, he shouldn’t go anywhere. Next year, brand new cars, completely different to drive, new power units that need an intelligent way of managing the energy.

“So, that’s absolutely on for Lewis, and I hope he stays on for many more years, and certainly next year is going to be an important one.”

Hamilton has been eyeing up an eighth championship title since losing out to Max Verstappen in 2021. Wolff still believes the former Mercedes driver can clinch that title if he “has a car underneath him that he has confidence in, that does what he wants.”

“If he has a car that’s not giving him the feedback that he wants, and that was the Mercedes of the past few years, and that seems to be the Ferrari, and even worse, then not. But you ask me whether he has it, he definitely has it.”

Photos from Hungarian GP – Race

Hungarian GP – Sunday, in photos

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