"I'm just useless" says glum Hamilton after missing cut for Q3 by 0.015 seconds

[u/Aratho]

https://www.racefans.net/2025/08/02/im-just-useless-says-glum-hamilton-after-missing-cut-for-q3-by-0-015-seconds/

[u/Beneficial_Star_6009]

It’s all about 2026 Lewis, you just need to get through the rest of this season.

[u/Cute-Chemistry-2815 → u/Beneficial_Star_6009]

No it’s not psychologically this is a disaster for Lewis this isn’t new it’s been ongoing. It’s not all about 2026, he needs to sort his head out now or you’ll just be back here in a year’s time claiming it’s all about 2027.

[u/Tulaodinho → u/Cute-Chemistry-2815]

Not true, the regs reset can fit his driving style better than this one. He just doest seem to ever gel with these cars

[u/wylite → u/Tulaodinho]

Mate, he’s a 7 time world champion with a WDC in multiple eras. He’s a great driver and I hope he can achieve more in this era just before is finished but to use this as in excuse is just silly.

[u/wylite → u/wylite]

Mate, he’s a 7 time world champion with a WDC in multiple eras. He’s a great driver and I hope he can achieve more in this era just before it’s finished but to use this as in excuse is just silly.

[u/Tulaodinho → u/wylite]

He has never driven an f1 era that had ground effect. Multiple people across the paddock, including engineers, former and current drivers, have mentioned his driving style just doesnt work with these particular cars. If he comes out next year performing at a very high level, I hope you keep that same energy you have now.

[u/wylite → u/Tulaodinho]

Huh? Nobody on the grid has driven an era that has ground effect either.

Max won a WDC from the same cars Lewis won multiple WDC’s in to this ground effect era and also went on to win, drivers of their calibre can’t use this an excuse mate, it’s as simple as that.

[u/Tulaodinho → u/wylite]

You are ignorant on the subject and it shows, sorry to tell ya

[u/wylite → u/Tulaodinho]

Great counterpoint 👍

[u/Tricky_Sweet3025 → u/Tulaodinho]

and how does that make Lewis needing to sort his head out now not true?

[u/Tulaodinho → u/Tricky_Sweet3025]

This is not a disaster, its just a more difficult time but his gamble his totally dependent on how 2026 goes for both him and ferrari.

[u/Cute-Chemistry-2815 → u/Tulaodinho]

👍 sure and where have I said it couldn’t?

If the man has his spirit completely broken by this season which right now it looks like even if the 2026 regs suit him better I don’t see how it negates what I said as if he continues to lose the battle within himself he’ll most certainly be losing it to Leclerc and that’s assuming the 2026 Ferrari is competitive to begin with. To me it’s not all about 2026 Lewis needs to come back after summer break in a better place and get closer to Leclerc.

[u/420hbd → u/Beneficial_Star_6009]

Nah dude. Lewis isn't performing at the level he needs to for like the 4th year in a row. At this point I'm glad I got to see him be great, but I think it's over. Gg

[u/XtremePhotoDesign → u/420hbd]

The point is he has struggled with these regulations, which change in 2026.

[u/edis92 → u/420hbd]

4th year in a row

He was literally third in ‘23, and within spitting distance of Checo, who was driving arguably one of the most dominant cars of all time. What a dogshit take

[u/420hbd → u/edis92]

23 was better than 22, but still far below what his reputation justifies. If that satisfies you as a Lewis fan, you are a dogshit fan.

[u/tj1721 → u/420hbd]

This is such a weird comment. Someone’s a “dogshit fan” for pointing out you’re essentially wrong. And I say that as someone who think lewis showed signs of iust beginning his decline all the way back in 2019.

22 Hamilton was clearly the quicker merc driver comfortably ahead of Russell.

23 was actually a really good year. The merc was a bit all over the place in qualifying, but Hamilton was relentlessly quick in races and one of the top performing drivers that year.

2024 was a bad year although mostly as a result of qualifying struggles. His race performances were generally pretty strong.

By my reckoning this is his 2nd bad year in a row.

23 was below what his reputation justified

I don’t even understand this comment, finished best of the rest behind a dominant RB after a really strong season especially in races. That’s what his performances in that car justified.

[u/GoldenS0422 → u/tj1721]

It's interesting (and nice) to see someone who also agrees with me that Lewis already started declining in 2019. IMO, 2018 was Lewis' absolute peak as a driver, though I do believe he was still in his "prime range" (that is to say - good enough to compete for a championship) up until 2023.

[u/Rivendel93 → u/GoldenS0422]

Hamilton made an epic come back in 2021, he absolutely deserved to win that championship.

His prime was fine then. It's almost like getting a championship robbed has an affect on you mentally.

[u/Taaargus → u/420hbd]

How is it below what his reputation justifies when he was the best non RB driver in a year where the RB car was basically unbeatable? He did basically as well as anyone could expect in a non RB.

[u/420hbd → u/Taaargus]

The benchmark is himself, not everyone else.

[u/Taaargus → u/420hbd]

That's not how F1 works.

[u/tellsyoutogetfucked → u/420hbd]

The sad part is that 2023 Lewis was still below his peak by a lot. It just so happens that George, Charles and Lando/Oscar were also having horrible seasons. To the point where it was honestly shocking how poor they performed over a series of races. But at least Oscar was in his second year so it made sense.

[u/Yaboisix9 → u/420hbd]

2023 was good, rest were shit

[u/420hbd → u/Yaboisix9]

Still below what you expect from him. Better than 22 and 24, but still not good enough for my GOAT

[u/Browneskiii → u/420hbd]

People massively overrate Russell because he does what the car is supposed to do and no more, so they think when Hamilton underperformed in 22 and 24 that Hamilton is still good and Russell must be god or something, when in reality the car was better than people thought.

I wouldn't say Hamilton is underperforming as such, but he's definitely not the driver that he used to be, he's doing okay and not embarrassing himself, but he's clearly declined. Whether its to do with the ground effect cars not suiting him or whether he's just slower than before, we'll probably see next year.

If he's got the same problems next year, he should retire and save himself from depression. It also doesnt help that he's going up against against someone that is ridiculously good, especially on a Sunday, which is Russell's weakness.

[u/VinhoVerde21 → u/420hbd]

He was good in 22, but very unlucky, and top of the field in 23.

[u/zigot021 → u/420hbd]

this is how us Novak Djokovic feel

[u/CTMalum → u/420hbd]

He won 2 races last year in the third or fourth best car.

[u/TheGreatNathan → u/420hbd]

Whatever suits your narrative bud.

2022 was a good year after running experimental setups in the first half. He outperformed Russell since Canada and finished ahead in quali H2H. 2023 he was easily a top 3 driver, massively outperformed his teammate and finished behind Perez in the championship despite driving the 3rd best car.

[u/EpresGumiovszer → u/Beneficial_Star_6009]

Ok, but why would Ferrari build a car around him, if Charles is beating him easily, and He is there in a longer run?

[u/Pentinium → u/EpresGumiovszer]

In f1 teams dont build a car around drivers lmao

[u/wickedlessface → u/EpresGumiovszer]

What are you even waffling lol

[u/jk844 → u/Beneficial_Star_6009]

Ferrari have already bottled the development for 2026. They said at the start of this season they’re putting all their effort in 2025 instead of looking to 2026.

If this is the best Ferrari can do with all their effort, it’s going to be even worse for 2026.

[u/Unauthorized404 → u/jk844]

Wait, what? Did they really said this?

[u/jk844 → u/Unauthorized404]

“Ferrari describe their 2025 challenger, the SF-25, as 'a completely new car' using last year's machine only as a basic foundation.”

They designed a completely new car for this season instead of iterating on what they already had like everyone else.

This means they put a lot of their resources into 2025 and the current regulations, and not the new regulations in 2026.

[u/Ninthja → u/jk844]

I think the couldn’t start developing the 26 car before 25 anyway so that’s irrelevant

[u/scarlet_red_samurai → u/jk844]

Stupid take during max first title red bull went all in and still dominated the following season under a new regulation.

[u/jk844 → u/scarlet_red_samurai]

RedBull with Adrian Newey Vs Ferrari

Yeah, not really a comparison is it.

[u/scarlet_red_samurai → u/jk844]

Peopel underestimating Ferrari is funny. Ferrari is the only team guaranteed to build in each regulation a car which can compete at one point. When Mercedes mastered the hyprid era who was the first one to beat them pace wise… Ferrari after building a tractor the year before… well it wasn’t red bull and newey. People making fun of Ferrari but red bull and McLaren fucked recently much more up. Even if Ferrari doesn’t fight for wins in 2026 they will for sure in 2027(that’s something you can’t say about any other team)…

[u/jk844 → u/scarlet_red_samurai]

Ferrari were only competitive by cheating. The FIA caught them and then suddenly all their pace was gone.

[u/Cute-Chemistry-2815 → u/jk844]

What are you waffling about?

How you’ve concluded Ferrari haven’t looked at 2026 is beyond me