Hamilton shrugs off age talk after 'useless' remark

Lewis Hamilton insists his recent self-criticism was a product of pressure, not physical decline, as he returned from Formula 1’s summer break with a reset mindset.

“In the heat of the moment, it can happen to anyone, and that’s how I felt,” the Ferrari driver said at Zandvoort. “There was so much pressure in the first half of the season that it wasn’t fun.

“So I think we just have to remember that we love what we do. We’re all in this together, and we’re trying to enjoy it.”

The seven-time champion, now 40, explained that his focus is to rediscover enjoyment rather than punish himself for mistakes.

“I think having fun is probably the most important thing, because that’s why I got into this sport, because I had fun. I think for anyone, regardless of their career, if you’re not enjoying what you’re doing, why are you doing it?”

Hamilton said he had been distracted by “the noise of the paddock” earlier in the year. “It can make you lose sight of what’s important. That’s why I say I just want to rediscover that joy,” he explained.

“I joined the team I always dreamed of racing for, and there was so much noise that, in a way, it prevented me from fully enjoying it.”

Looking back, Hamilton suggested his struggles were not unusual in the context of his career, saying: “I’ve been through it many times. I’ve never gotten into a car and won immediately. There have always been difficult moments, and I’m one of those people who doesn’t settle for that. That’s exactly what happened to me in the long relationship I had before.”

Asked by Sky Italia if his age might be a factor, Hamilton rejected the idea. “No problem with that,” he smiled. “Maybe it takes a little longer to recover, but I’m stronger than ever. I have more muscle, which is usually the opposite of what happens with advancing years, but I think I’m far from losing my strength. But maybe in ten years the situation will be different.”

His teammate Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, is facing scrutiny of his own after losing a Hungarian GP victory chance from pole. George Russell suggested Ferrari made last-minute setup changes to avoid a disqualification, but Leclerc would not be drawn in.

“I’m not going to comment on that,” he said. “I don’t really care what George said after the race. The situation is much more complex than he’s making it out to be, but I don’t want to comment on it too much.”

Looking ahead, the Monegasque driver warned that Ferrari must prevent McLaren’s current dominance from carrying into the 2026 rules era.

“You always hear something that makes you think in a certain direction,” said Leclerc. “Then you start thinking about how they do this, and of course the media also plays a major role in uncovering McLaren’s secret.

“Our priority is to stay on top of this and ensure we don’t lag behind with the latest developments. We have to make sure we discover things that other teams haven’t discovered yet, because if you follow the rest, you can only become the second team.”]