Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali has backed Lewis Hamilton in his quest to win his eighth championship title, revealing that he will be back in strong form after the summer break. This statement arrives after the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, where a dejected Hamilton said that he was “useless” and that Ferrari should change the driver.
The seven-time world champion was hugely upset after qualifying P12 for the race at the Hungaroring. The Grand Prix was no good either, as Hamilton didn’t gain positions and finished in the same place he started, outside of the points.
The Briton has been having a hard time adapting to the Ferrari SF-25 F1 car and achieving the kind of setup that suits him best. While there have been positive moments, such as the sprint race victory in China, and a best finish of P4 in Austria and Great Britain, the race in Hungary proved to be a major setback for him.
When the media asked him after the race on Sunday if he would be back for the next race at Zandvoort, Hamilton said:
Stefano Domenicali arrives in the paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 3, 2025 in Northampton, United Kingdom.
Stefano Domenicali arrives in the paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 3, 2025 in Northampton, United Kingdom.
Kym Illman/Getty Images
“I look forward to coming back… Hopefully I will be back, yeah.”
The “hopefully” in his statement raised many eyebrows, leading many to wonder if Hamilton was planning on ending his career. However, the reassurance from him that he still loves racing offered some hope.
Domenicali, who has led Ferrari in the past, praised Hamilton and confirmed his faith that he will come back stronger after the summer break. He told Sky Sports F1:
“Lewis is a jewel, an incredible athlete. So no matter if it is a difficult moment, he will react, and I am pretty sure he will show the reason why he is here.
“He wants to achieve his 8th 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 season.”
Related: F1 Summer Shutdown: Why Teams Can’t Touch Their Cars
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur was asked after the race in Hungary if he would motivate Hamilton. The team boss said:
“I don’t need to motivate him. Honestly, he’s frustrated, but not demotivated. You know, it’s a completely different story. I can perfectly understand the situation. Sometimes you are making comments on what the driver is saying in the car, but if you put the microphone on some other sportsmen in football and so, I’m not sure that it would be much better.
“They are in the performance, and sometimes they are making 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’t say this, I will go to the stewards [for swearing]!
“But sometimes just after the race or just after the quali [qualifying], you are very disappointed and the first reaction is harsh. But we all know that we are pushing in the same direction.”