Hamilton’s cryptic response to his “change driver” comments at F1 Hungarian GP

Lewis Hamilton offered a cryptic follow-up to his earlier comments suggesting that Ferrari should “change driver” and, after finishing 12th at the Hungarian Grand Prix, hinted at a “not great” state of affairs in the background.

Hamilton was dumped out in the second part of qualifying on Saturday, and alluded to his driving being the key problem behind his travails in 2025.

He finished 12th in the race having attempted to make a one-stop strategy work, but realistically made very little ground in the midfield pack.

The Briton stated over the radio that he was a “sitting duck” while stuck in a train behind Liam Lawson, Oliver Bearman, and Isack Hadjar, as Max Verstappen came into his rear view mirrors after stopping.

Hamilton stopped for mediums at the end of the 42nd lap and got past Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon later in that stint, but could not really make any other ground save for when Carlos Sainz stopped later on ahead of him.

He finished just over a second behind Isack Hadjar, who himself was within touching distance of points with 10th-placed Andrea Kimi Antonelli ahead.

Asked by Sky Sports F1 if he could clarify the comments made on Saturday and what brought them up, Hamilton delivered a muted response.

“Not particularly, when you have a feeling, you have a feeling,” he said. “There’s a lot going on in the background that’s not great…”

He was keen to point out, however, that “I still love it. I still love racing”.

Hamilton lost a position to the two-stopping Verstappen when the Dutchman got past at Turn 4, although Hamilton went off-road during the move – as such, the stewards chose to investigate it under the suspicion that Verstappen forced him off the road.

Asked about the incident, Hamilton responded that “I don’t have much to say on it.”

Verstappen revealed that Hamilton did not go to the stewards’ room in person when discussing the incident.

“The thing is that nothing happened. We didn’t even touch. That’s the thing. So, for me, it’s a bit difficult to understand why we have the investigation after the race.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

“We explained our side, well, Lewis was not there, but we explained our side of the story. I don’t think Lewis actually felt a lot for it, because if he really felt something for it, then of course he’s there in the stewards’ room.

“I think both of us didn’t have the best of weekends anyway. That’s just that one little thing. The more important thing is that we have to look at our performance, which was not good.

“I went for a move up the inside, because it’s a fast corner, but with downforce, you’re a bit more under control anyway.

“I think he realised very late that I was up the inside there. So then he turned out of it a little bit and then went off the track. And that was it. We didn’t touch. Nothing happened.”