'Fighter' Lewis Hamilton told to stay at Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton has been praised for his 'fighting' spirit and has been told to stay at Ferrari despite F1 retirement talk.

The Hungarian Grand Prix signalled a new low for Hamilton at Ferrari, where he was unable to covert a Q2 exit into a points finish during Sunday's race.

Hamilton's performances in 2025 have convinced some that the champion may retire, especially if his 2026 car is not competitive.

However, in an interview with German publication ran, former F1 driver Christian Danner transformed the narrative and revealed his belief that Hamilton ‘will stay’ in the sport.

“I was in Budapest, and there was open talk about whether Hamilton might throw in the towel. On the one hand, that's conceivable because he's currently far from being competitive,” Danner said.

“On the other hand, that's not Hamilton's style. He's a fighter and wants to prove to the world that he can still do it. Personally, I believe he will stay and see it through. But you can't rule out retirement.”

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Will Hamilton remain at Ferrari?

Despite supporting Hamilton, Danner did muse on whether the champion should have remained at Mercedes.

“He would have had an easier life at Mercedes, even if he hadn't significantly outperformed Russell,” he continued.

“But there, his future was secure, his role was clear, and he could have established himself as a brand icon for years to come.

“From that perspective, he would certainly have had a more comfortable environment at Mercedes. But I respect it when an athlete seeks out a big challenge. I just think Hamilton underestimated that challenge.”

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur also admitted that himself and Hamilton underestimated the challenge it would be for the champion to join a new team, after racing with Mercedes for over a decade.

Nevertheless, Hamilton will be hoping to at least match or better his team-mate during the second half of the season, with Charles Leclerc outperforming the champion in 2025 with five podiums and a pole position.

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