Lewis Hamilton backed not to retire “on a down” as frustrations laid bare

Juan Pablo Montoya is confident Lewis Hamilton won’t retire from F1 “on a down” as his Ferrari struggles continue.

Hamilton is still without a top-three finish in a grand prix since joining Ferrari at the start of the 2025 F1 season.

The seven-time world champion’s struggles continued at the Qatar Grand Prix.

Hamilton failed to make it out of SQ1 after struggling with the balance of his Ferrari. 

Despite starting from the pit lane in the sprint race, Hamilton couldn’t make any progress and felt his Ferrari had taken a step back in performance terms.

Hamilton’s poor 2025 F1 season has led to suggestions that he could retire at the end of next year, particularly if his form doesn’t improve. 

Montoya, however, doesn’t think Hamilton will give up, as he still wants to “prove to himself he can do it.”

“I think Lewis, I know he’s in a tough spot and he’s frustrated,” Montoya said on F1 TV.

“I think he’s just venting a lot of it. I think he kept a lot of the composure through the beginning of the year when he wasn’t running well, and people were questioning a lot why he wasn’t running well.

“And I think he got to a point he said, ‘I don’t really care. I’m just going to speak out and tell him how frustrated I am.’ I think it’s more that he still wants to do the job.

“In Brazil, in quali, he was doing a really good job. If Charles doesn’t spin in qualifying, he would have outqualified him; Charles would have been knocked out in qualifying.

“So yes, in race pace, he’s still missing. I don’t think it’s the easiest car to drive, and I don’t think he has anything to prove, but he loves racing.

“So, I know he’s not happy where he is, but he doesn’t want to quit at this point, being on a down. I think he wants to still prove to himself he can do it.”

Ferrari’s 2026 chances

2026 will be a big year for Ferrari as they look to start the new rule set with a race-winning car.

Ferrari’s 2025 challenger hasn’t lived up to expectations, falling short in all areas, with no obvious strengths.

Frederic Vasseur admitted on Friday in Qatar that he underestimated the psychological impact of turning car development off early.

Ferrari sit fourth in the constructors’ championship and are still without a grand prix victory this year. 

A poor start in 2026 will put big pressure on Vasseur to keep his job.

Charles Leclerc may also have to consider his own future. 

Since joining Ferrari, Leclerc hasn’t mounted a serious title challenge, largely due to the team’s inability to produce a consistently competitive car.