BUDAPEST — A seven-time Formula 1 world champion skipping a stewards meeting? That’s not just unusual — it’s almost unheard of.

But that’s exactly what happened after the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Lewis Hamilton shocked the paddock by refusing to attend a post-race meeting with FIA stewards regarding a tense on-track moment with long-time rival Max Verstappen.

And now, whispers are growing louder: Has Hamilton mentally checked out of F1?

The Incident That Sparked It All

During a rare battle for scraps — 10th place — on Lap 29, Verstappen pulled a bold move that nearly shoved Hamilton off track. The two didn’t make contact, but it was tight. Normally, a flashpoint between these titans would ignite heated radio chatter, controversy, and fireworks.

But not this time.

Hamilton said… nothing.

And when asked post-race by Sky Sports’ Rachel Brookes about the clash?

“I don’t even remember it,” he muttered with a shrug.

Let that sink in: the man who once made headlines for dramatic post-race debriefs and passionate defenses of his on-track decisions didn’t even remember a near collision with the man who dethroned him.

A No-Show That Raises Eyebrows

Per standard procedure, both drivers were summoned to the stewards’ room for review. Verstappen showed up.

Hamilton didn’t.

Instead, Ferrari sent a team representative in his place — a legal, but eyebrow-raising decision. The FIA confirmed there would be no penalties issued, and Verstappen walked away without a warning.

But Hamilton’s no-show set off alarm bells.

Some fans chalked it up to frustration. Others? To something deeper.

A Downbeat Weekend for the Champ

This wasn’t just any race weekend for Hamilton — it was one of the worst in recent memory. He qualified 12th. Finished 12th. His Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc took pole and crossed the line in P4. Hamilton, in contrast, looked lost.

“I was useless,” he said on Saturday. “Maybe the team should replace me.”

That one line sent social media into meltdown. Was he joking? Was it sarcasm? Or was it a brutally honest reflection of a driver whose confidence — and motivation — may be slipping away?

After the race, he hinted further at internal issues, cryptically saying, “There’s a lot going on in the background that’s not great.”

What does that mean? Problems inside Ferrari? Personal doubts? Contract tension? Nobody’s talking — but everyone’s guessing.

The Bigger Question: Is This the Beginning of the End?

Hamilton is locked into a Ferrari deal through 2026. But with his 40th birthday around the corner and a record-setting career already behind him, some — including former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher — believe he might not see the contract through.

“He’s not the same Hamilton we used to know,” Schumacher told German media during the Hungary weekend. “You can see it in his body language, in the results, in everything.”

Fans are starting to wonder: is the fire gone?

Because the Hamilton we all knew — the relentless competitor, the fierce defender, the man who chased every tenth of a second like it was life or death — wouldn’t miss a stewards meeting over a battle with Verstappen, even for 10th place.

He would show up. He would speak up. He would fight.

No Sanctions — But Plenty of Questions

Technically, there will be no consequences. The rules allow a team representative to attend in place of a driver, and Ferrari played by the book.

But symbolically? It’s a red flag.

If Hamilton doesn’t care enough to defend himself, or even acknowledge what could’ve been a pivotal moment in a race — what does he care about?

What Now?

With F1 heading into the final stretch of the 2025 season, all eyes will be on Hamilton. Is this just a rough patch, or the beginning of a slow fade-out from a sport he once ruled?

Only one person knows the answer. But right now, the silence is deafening.

Lewis Hamilton suffered a dismal weekend in Hungary
His absence from the stewards’ room adds further fuel to the fire that Hamilton may have given up on his 2025 season, and that he is no longer 100 per cent committed to the sport to which he has given so much.

Why did Hamilton skip stewards meeting?

Verstappen’s bold overtake on lap 29 was close to causing contact between the two old enemies, but they narrowly avoided touching.

Ordinarily, a driver might be expected to be very vocal about such an incident, but Hamilton could not be heard protesting the move on team radio, and appeared unbothered by Verstappen’s actions during his post-race interview with Rachel Brookes.

Hamilton’s negative, downbeat attitude was present throughout the whole weekend, and he also said after the race that ‘there’s a lot going on in the background that’s not great.’

This led some to speculate that all may not be well internally within Ferrari regarding Hamilton and his future within the team.

The 40-year-old is contracted until the end of the 2026 season, but Ralf Schumacher said during the Hungarian GP weekend that Hamilton may well be contemplating his immediate future.

Neither Hamilton nor Ferrari will face any ramifications for the driver not having attended the stewards meeting, as a Ferrari team representative still was in attendance.