BUDAPEST, Hungary — A day after calling himself “useless,” seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton said he’s facing issues “in the background” after another difficult race.
Hamilton finished 12th Sunday in the Hungarian Grand Prix, the same place he’d qualified for the day before, a result that had prompted him to call himself “absolutely useless” and suggest Ferrari might consider changing drivers.
The 40-year-old British driver’s race was a world away from teammate Charles Leclerc, who was disappointed with fourth after starting in pole position.
“When you have a feeling, you have a feeling. There’s a lot going on in the background that is not great,” Hamilton told British broadcaster Sky Sports after the race when asked to explain his comments from a day before. Asked if he’d lost his love of racing, Hamilton said no.
In response to a question about seemingly being forced off the track by old rival Max Verstappen, a standout moment in an otherwise largely quiet race for Hamilton, he said: “I don’t really remember it, to be honest.”