Lewis Hamilton makes startling claim after F1 disaster

Lewis Hamilton’s suggestion for Ferrari after yet another disastrous qualifying session at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Saturday had nothing to do with the car.

“We probably need to change driver,” Hamilton told reporters at the Hungaroring outside of Budapest.

Hamilton, who is in his first season with the Scuderia after over a decade driving for Mercedes, has struggled for much of the season. On Saturday, he was knocked out in Q2 and .25 seconds slower than his teammate, Charles Leclerc, who not only easily made Q3 but scored a shock pole position over McLaren.

The seven-time world champion called himself “absolutely useless” and said he “drove terribly.”

“The team has no problem,” he said. “You’ve seen the car’s on pole.”

Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari ahead of Practice 3 of the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring circuit in Mogyorod near Budapest on August 2, 2025. Beata Zawrzel/ZUMA Press Wire / SplashNews.com

Hamilton has been out-qualified by his teammate 12 times in 17 sessions this season with an average pace deficit of .146 seconds, per the BBC, continuing a trend from last season, when he struggled against George Russell.

While Ferrari has generally put forth a disappointing season, Hamilton doesn’t have a grand prix podium this season — he won the sprint race in China — while Leclerc has five, including last week at Spa-Francorchamps.

Ferrari’s strategy was of little help to Hamilton on Saturday, as it mismanaged Q1 and used up two new sets of soft tires, forcing him to do his first Q2 run on a used set. 

“We have to do a better job to not be exposed in Q1 and Q2, and the fact we had to use extra sets in Q1, it was not a good start to the session, and then you have one set for Q2,” Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur told The Race.

Nevertheless, it continues what has so far been a mess of a season for Hamilton, who has struggled to adapt to Ferrari and consistently been behind his teammate.

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during the third free practice at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod, Hungary, Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025, ahead of the Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix. AP

The McLarens had dominated the field through all three practice sessions and the first two parts of qualifying, but a change in wind direction, humidity and temperature all played into Ferrari’s hands.

It’s expected that Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, starting second and third, will quickly get past Leclerc in the race itself, but the potential for rain could shake things up further.

“In Q3 the conditions changed for everybody,” Leclerc told reporters. “I basically just did a clean lap, which was a really good lap because those conditions were really difficult to get everything right, and I was really happy about the lap.

“It is probably the most surprising pole position I have ever done, so I’m very happy.”