Martin Brundle hints F1 'pain' could cause Lewis Hamilton to retire

Martin Brundle believes Lewis Hamilton could retire from F1 rather than "endure" another two seasons of grand prix racing after a torrid Hungarian Grand Prix.

Hamilton qualified and then finished a lapped 12th in Hungary, and after qualifying, called himself "useless" and suggested Ferrari should change the driver to achieve better results. 

The Briton has not claimed a grand prix podium for the Scuderia, the first time in his career he's failed to finish in the top three before the summer break, although he did take pole and the win and then third in the Chinese and Miami Sprint races, respectively.

Hamilton signed an initial two-year deal upon joining Ferrari, with the option of a third year in 2027, but Brundle believes that unless Hamilton "can weather the storm", the seven-time champion could walk away from F1.

"I'm not looking forward to writing this next section, it's about Lewis Hamilton, who endured what must have been one of the worst weekends of his career, in and out of the car," Brundle began in his Sky Sports F1 column. 

"He struggled for ultimate pace in qualifying, and with the pack so close, he would start only 12th when his team-mate Leclerc was on pole. He would then describe himself as "useless" in post-qualifying interviews and suggest the team should change the driver. 

"That was best left unsaid, but he obviously wanted to openly punish himself.

"The summer break couldn't be more timely for Lewis to have a reset. It's painful to observe this great champion in so much strife, and we have to expect that he can weather the storm and return to form, given his talent and experience.

"But otherwise, I simply can't see him enduring two more seasons at Ferrari, or anywhere else, like this.

"He's clearly in a difficult place personally, and during the race, he would finish in that same 12th position, never really showing signs of progress. 

"He sat in the car in parc ferme post-race for what seemed an age, was very downbeat in interviews again, and then declined to attend a stewards' enquiry about a rather ambitious move Max Verstappen made on him during the race in the blind and fast Turn 4, in which Lewis chose to drive off the road to avoid contact. 

'He didn't want to contest the incident and conceded via his team, but Max did attend the meeting with a rational explanation from his viewpoint, and avoided a penalty."