P1racenews AI automatic summary:
“Nobody thinks Lewis forgot how to drive. Nobody thinks Lewis is useless, except Lewis, but no one agrees with him.”
F1 pundit James Hinchcliffe disagrees with Lewis Hamilton’s self-assessment of being “useless” after a tough series of races in 2025. Hamilton’s confidence took a hit after challenging races before the summer break, including failing to progress out of Q1 at the Belgian Grand Prix. Despite a strategic recovery at Belgium, Hungary turned out to be a disaster as he failed to reach Q3, contrasting with teammate Charles Leclerc’s pole position. With overtaking difficult, Hamilton couldn’t make progress, leading to surprising interviews with Sky Sports where he criticized himself and hinted at issues within Ferrari. Hinchcliffe and others believe Hamilton hasn’t lost his skill, attributing struggles to adjusting to new settings, while acknowledging George Russell’s strong performance against rookie Kimi Antonelli. Hamilton’s recent setbacks come after moments of improvement, such as almost securing pole at Silverstone prior to a mistake and outqualifying Leclerc in multiple races. Comparisons between drivers remain complex, with Russell’s success noted despite challenges faced.
