‘He will beat himself up' – Mercedes boss Toto Wolff opens up on Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari woes after worrying interview
That is the view of the seven-time world champion's former boss at Mercedes, Toto Wolff, who claims Hamilton's fire is still burning and he has unfinished business in Formula One.
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After all, no one knows the ups and downs of Hamilton's career like the Austrian chief who spent 12 years working alongside him.
From six, glittering world titles to the catastrophic lows that followed him losing out on a record eighth crown to Max Verstappen in Abu Dhabi 2021.
It is worrying the manner in which Hamilton tore himself apart like never before after qualifying in 12th and finishing in 12th at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
He labelled himself 'useless' and told Ferrari to 'change driver' while also casting doubt over his future in F1.
Wolff said: 'That is Lewis wearing his heart on his sleeve. It's what he thought when he was asked after the session.
'It was very raw. He was down on himself. We had it in the past when he felt that he'd underperformed in his own expectations.
'He has been that emotionally transparent since he was a young adult.
'He will beat himself up. But he's the GOAT and will always be the GOAT.
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'[Nothing] will take that away, no single weekend or race season which hasn't gone to plan. That's something he needs to always remember - that he's the Greatest Of All Time.
'Lewis has unfinished business in Formula 1.
'I'm absolutely useless' - Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari 'need to change driver' after Hungarian GP qualifying nightmare
'In the same way that Mercedes underperformed over this latest set of regulations, we never got happy with ground-effect car, in the same way it [affects] him. Maybe it is linked to driving style.'
F1 has now begun its summer break and the next round is not until the Dutch Grand Prix on 31 August.
When asked about this a downbeat Hamilton was similarly cryptic, ending an interview with "hopefully I will be back, yeah.'
Hamilton trails teammate Charles Leclerc by 42 points in the driver's standings and has still not stood on the podium in 14 races with Ferrari since his move.
But Wolff has urged his former driver to stay put and trust in the process with new technical regulations on the way in 2026.
The Merc boss added: 'He shouldn't go anywhere next year.
'There are brand new cars which are completely different to drive. New power units which need an intelligent way of managing the energy.
'I hope he's in for many more years. Next year is an important one.'
When asked if he can get an eighth world title, Wolff replied: 'If he has a car underneath him, which he has confidence in, and which does what he wants, then yes.
'If he has a car which isn't giving him the feedback that he wants - like the Mercedes of the past few years or the Ferrari which seems to be worse - then not.
'But you ask me if he still has it? He definitely has it.'
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