Lewis Hamilton to shut himself off from the world - here's why

Lewis Hamilton plans to drop off from the face of the earth during Formula 1’s off-season, telling reporters at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that he has no intention of speaking “to anyone” over the winter break.

And honestly, after the disaster that was his 2025 campaign, it’s hard to fault him.

Hamilton ends the year without a single podium to his name, wrestling with a car that seemed borderline impossible to drive, overshadowed by the younger Charles Leclerc and publicly reprimanded by Ferrari chairman John Elkann.

All in all, the 40-year-old’s debut season in red has been the polar opposite of the dream scenario painted when he first posed outside Enzo Ferrari’s old residence months ago. So yes, it makes perfect sense that he wants to shut the world out for a while.

Speaking to the media after his eighth place finish at the Abu Dhabi GP, Hamilton admitted: “At the moment I'm only looking forward to the break.”

When asked if he had ever tried the no phone approach before, Hamilton added: “No, I've generally always had it around. But this time, it's going in the freaking bin."

Why has 2025 been so tough for Hamilton?

So, what has exactly gone wrong for Hamilton at Ferrari? This question is a bit like asking what was the sole cause of the First World War. You can’t just pinpoint just one factor.

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur also admitted that development of the 2025 ceased as early as April, to shift their entire focus to the new regulations and their 2026 challenger, a decision both Hamilton and Leclerc supported.

Add into the mix the SF-25’s sensitivity to ride height changes, strategic mistakes from the pit wall and an inability to conjure the right set up during a race weekend, Hamilton’s struggles are brought into a new light.

While the SF-25 has undoubtedly been a nightmare car to drive, Leclerc has proven on seven occasions that some performance could be squeezed out of the Ferrari and was, at times, worthy of a podium.

Taking the above into consideration, there is the simple conclusion that Hamilton is not as quick as he used to be in qualifying, a natural by-product of aging as a racing driver.

Time will only tell if the close of the ground effect era will be a blessing for Hamilton. For now, going off grid and disconnecting for the winter seems like the best idea he has had all year.

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