Lewis Hamilton's dream of an eighth Formula 1 title with Ferrari is spinning off track.
His comments at the Hungarian Grand Prix in early August sparked concern among fans of Hamilton and Ferrari as the seven-time champion called himself "absolutely useless", suggested Ferrari should consider replacing him, and hinted at deeper issues. "There’s a lot going on in the background that is not great," Hamilton said.
Having a four-week break before next week's Dutch Grand Prix offers a much-needed reset, argues Michael E. Sawyer, author of a biography of Hamilton, "Sir Lewis," published this year.
"I think he’s venting, I think he’s down. I think the summer break couldn't have come at a better time for him," Sawyer told The Associated Press. "It gives him a chance to reflect and think through exactly what the approach is going to be."
Hamilton certainly seems to be getting away from it all. He posted pictures on social media last week in the countryside with his beloved bulldog Roscoe and the caption "DND" — seemingly short for "do not disturb".
Priority problems
Ferrari has said it still has faith in Hamilton, though F1’s former boss Bernie Ecclestone has urged him to call time on his record-breaking career. Hamilton "would be cheating himself if he goes on," Ecclestone told the Daily Mail newspaper this month.
So how might Hamilton find his way back to the front of the F1 field?
All too often, he's been off the pace in qualifying on Saturday and down the grid, meaning his typically better race pace is wasted on working his way through the midfield.
"Every time, every time," was Hamilton's groan of frustration when he qualified 12th for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Teammate Charles Leclerc was on pole.
Qualifying is the area where the break might help Hamilton most, argues Sawyer. He has competitive pace — as he showed while carving through the field on a wet track in Belgium last month — but hasn't brought it on Saturdays.
The big picture
Hamilton's move to Ferrari was never all about 2025.
The team made clear that signing Hamilton was a long-term project despite his age — he turned 40 in January — and backed him when he said he needed time to adapt to a different car.
When he hasn't been venting about his results on track, Hamilton has emphasized his role in creating Ferrari's car for 2026, when new F1 regulations will shake up the running order.
Making Hamilton a core part of the 2026 car's design philosophy means "there's reason for him to be really optimistic about the possibilities because there's going to be so much shifting around on the grid," Sawyer said. "There's going to be opportunity for someone as savvy and experienced as him to take advantage of that."
Chasing the 'greatest' title
The worst-case scenario for Ferrari would likely be an unexpected Hamilton retirement, denting the brand's image and leaving the team without a high-level driver to partner Leclerc next season.
Of its two reserve drivers, Zhou Guanyu has a career-best race finish of eighth at Sauber and Antonio Giovinazzi's last F1 race was in 2021. Ferrari could also call on Oliver Bearman, the Haas rookie.
Still, if Ferrari's big bet pays off, Hamilton has the potential to redefine what F1 success means once again.
He turns 41 in January and will be racing for an eighth world title to break a tie with Michael Schumacher and stand alone in the record books. Hamilton could become the oldest race winner since 1994 and oldest champion since 1966. Sawyer believes it would best all of his other titles.
"I don't think there's any doubt about that," said Sawyer. "I think it would be the greatest of them all. The comeback story would be amazing."
