Guenther Steiner: Lewis Hamilton could quit F1 if form doesn’t improve after break

Guenther Steiner believes Lewis Hamilton could call it quits at the end of the 2025 Formula 1 season if he can't pick up his form after the summer break.

Hamilton endured a fraught weekend in Hungary at the start of this month, prompting him to brand himself as “useless” and suggest that Ferrari sign another driver in his place.

Those remarks have led to speculation over whether the 40-year-old may consider retiring from F1, with a high-profile switch from Mercedes to Ferrari having so far proved to be disappointing.

Former Haas F1 team boss Steiner believes the long summer shutdown offers the seven-time world champion a chance to reset and come back stronger in the latter part of the season.

However, if he is not able to make enough progress in the final 10 races, Steiner thinks Hamilton may break his contract with Ferrari and leave F1 altogether.

“The summer break will be a moment of reflection for him. Maybe he'll come back more relaxed after the break, and his performance will improve,” the 60-year-old told Web.de. 

“But maybe not, and then I could well imagine him saying at the end of the year: ‘That's it. I'm not putting myself through this for another year.’ 

“He has many interests outside of Formula 1 ; he's a brand in his own right. Many drivers need F1 as a platform. Lewis doesn't need that anymore. And that's exactly what makes it easier for him to draw a line under it.”

One saving grace for Hamilton could be the switch to new regulations in 2026, with both the chassis and engine rules set to be overhauled simultaneously in F1.

The 2026 formula also reduces the reliance on ground-effects, while the cars will also be lighter and more nimble.

Hamilton is understood to be on a two-year contract with Ferrari, with the option of a third season in 2027 being reported by the Italian media.

Steiner believes that if Hamilton doesn’t hang up his helmet at the end of the current season, the 2026 rule changes could end up determining how long he stays in F1.

“Lewis had trouble with the new ground-effect cars from the start,” he explained. “And in 2026, new cars and new engines will be coming, and no one knows who will be the strongest.

“Maybe he'll say: ‘I'll take that one’. But if that doesn't work out, then it's over. Even if not immediately. If he wants to quit, he'll communicate that in good time so the team has time to find a replacement.”

Hamilton sits sixth in the drivers' standings during the summer break, 42 points behind his teammate Charles Leclerc.