A former Formula 1 team owner has accused Ferrari of breaking promises after Lewis Hamilton showed his disappointment following the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc has been outperforming the former world champion all season (Image: Getty)

A former Formula One team owner believes Ferrari have broken some promises to Lewis Hamilton after his admission that things are “not great” in the paddock. Seven-time world champion Hamilton finished 12th in the Hungarian Grand Prix last weekend, and he had plenty to say after his disappointing campaign with the Scuderia so far.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the race, the 40-year-old said: “When you have a feeling, you have a feeling. There’s a lot going on in the background that is not great.” This cryptic comment highlights the potential issues going on behind closed doors with Hamilton and his F1 team, with team-mate Charles Leclerc consistently finishing above him throughout 2025. When asked if he is happy to return after the sport’s summer break, Hamilton added: “I look forward to coming back… hopefully I will be back, yeah.” Many have assumed that Hamilton is referencing himself being back to his race-winning best, but some fans are worried this could be a sign of something more permanent in the driver’s life.

Following the Hungarian GP, ex-F1 team owner Gian Carlo Minardi spoke to Gazzetta dello Sport, claiming Ferrari have broken promises to Hamilton throughout their contract this season. He said: “From various interviews, I understand [that] Lewis is complaining about things that were promised to him but haven’t arrived. It’s difficult to make judgments, in any case. I think Ferrari are trying to find a better direction for Leclerc right now.”

The 77-year-old admitted he “expected something more” from the F1 team, stating Ferrari must do everything in their power to keep Hamilton happy for the foreseeable – or risk losing him. Minardi said: “I thought Ferrari was aiming for technical continuity, after coming close to winning the constructors’ championship in 2024, but that wasn’t the case.

“As for Hamilton, it must be emphasised that after so many years with the same team, it’s not easy to change working methods and languages. And he’s also found a very fast team-mate.

Hamilton hasn’t hit the heights he knows he can with Ferrari (Image: Getty)

“I believe the statements he made in Hungary, which many have criticised but which I consider a great driver, were meant to highlight Leclerc’s level, as he had put a car on pole in which he had never finished higher than 12th.”

He added: “It’s unfair to say he’s at the end of his career; when he’s had the opportunity, he’s shown he can still do important things. Only Ferrari knows exactly what’s happening. It will be a crucial issue between now and the end of the season: we must prevent him from going elsewhere to prove he still has something to offer.”

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Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur was quick to quell any speculation surrounding discontentment in the team, claiming that Hamilton is just irritated but will return to his best soon enough. He said: “I don’t need to motivate him. He is frustrated but not demotivated, that is a different story. I can perfectly understand the situation.”

Toto Wolff has belief that Hamilton can get back to his best (Image: Getty)

While Hamilton has struggled for form in recent races, fans will be keen to see the ex-world champion return to his best driving in the future – and one person is adamant that will happen. Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal and one of Hamilton’s oldest friends in F1, believes his ex-driver needs to have more faith in himself to get back to top form.

Speaking after the race in Hungary, Wolff said: “He was hard on himself. We have seen it before when he felt he had not met his own expectations. But he is the Goat. That is something he always needs to remember – that he is the greatest of all time.”

Hamilton will join the rest of the F1 drivers in relaxing over the sport’s summer break, with the Dutch Grand Prix making the sport’s return to action at the end of August.