- Hamilton silences retirement talk after a resurgent start to 2026 season.
- After a podiumless debut year, 7-time champion finds Ferrari’s true pace.
- Dismisses critics as he proves his elite competitive edge in the SF-26.
Lewis Hamilton isn’t holding back as he shut down critics who have a lot to say about his disastrous Ferrari debut season and asked him to consider retirement. The news about his move from Mercedes to Ferrari in 2025 made huge waves across the paddock and fandom.
While Hamilton was enthusiastic to join the Italian team to fulfill his childhood dream, his debut there turned out to be rocky, as he clearly struggled the entire year, and the car faced significant challenges too, which held back the two very talented drivers on various occasions. He concluded 2024 by being 6th in drivers’ standings, without securing a single podium.
Hamilton hits back at critics after a good Ferrari season start
In a conversation, Hamilton revealed that there are often a lot of doubts and questions around one’s future in a sport when they face a difficult season. However, despite an impressive season start, he claims that he still sees a fresh set of criticism, but he doesn’t let it bother him and is happy to be in a good place this year.
He said, “I saw some of the certain individuals that hadn’t had anywhere near the success that I’d had, just talking negatively, as they continue to do so today. And it felt great to be able to come back and come into this season and start off strong, to be able to show that I still have what it takes to compete at the front.” However, he’s confident that he will continue to try to be consistent and deliver good results.
This isn’t the first time the ex-Mercedes driver has addressed negative talk around him. Earlier, he was informed that among his critics was his former teammate, Nico Rosberg, as well, who spoke about his potential retirement, but he had nothing to say about those comments. He considered those talking negative about him “not even on my level.” He added that he will continue to be in the sport as his love for racing hasn’t faded.
A dream debut turned miserable
For fans, it has been hard to watch a seven-time world champion like Lewis Hamilton struggle massively at Scuderia Ferrari, and his disappointment was very clear on several occasions, especially when he didn’t even finish in decent positions at times during the 2025 season. He received a lot of criticism throughout the year, with many calling him “washed” and even doubting his decision to leave Mercedes.
The frustrations continued to build, which was clearly evident during the Hungarian Grand Prix, when Hamilton went on to call himself “useless.” It’s not an ideal word to hear from a driver who has broken records, redefined the sport, and won multiple titles.
At the time, he told F1, “The team, they have no problem – you’ve seen the car is on pole. So, they probably need to change the driver.” He admitted that he drove “terribly.”
While the year ended badly for Ferrari and their drivers, given they even lost the runner-up position in the Constructors’ Championship to Mercedes, this year seems to be quite promising for them. This is because they appear to be giving tough competition to the dominant Mercedes.
Moreover, it was a happy moment for Hamilton as well recently when he secured his first podium in red in China.
