Former F1 group principal Guenther Steiner believes Lewis Hamilton’s angle on the Hungarian Grand Prix was “unsuitable”.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton declared himself “ineffective” and informed Ferrari to “change driver” after he exited Q2 on the Hungaroring with a time solely ok for twelfth on the grid.
Hamilton would end the place he began within the race to compound a depressing weekend as his Ferrari struggles continued. The 40-year-old Briton is but to document a grand prix podium in 14 makes an attempt since finishing his blockbuster swap from Mercedes and has been outperformed by teammate Charles Leclerc.
However ex-Haas group boss Steiner was unimpressed by Hamilton’s remarks and accused him of getting an “angle that individuals ought to really feel sorry for you”.
“How are you going to come out as being a seven-time world champion saying, I’m ineffective?” Steiner informed the Pink Flags podcast.
“That was, it’s not his efficiency. I don’t care about that. I’m not going into his efficiency. He’s struggling. Throughout our life, all of us battle a bit bit.
“I nonetheless battle, so I all the time battle, however popping out and saying, ‘oh, I’m ineffective’.
“That’s the unsuitable angle. And that’s for me. I don’t just like the angle of giving up, you already know, or it’s an angle that individuals ought to really feel sorry for you.”
Steiner added: “It’s like if I’m seven occasions world champion, I’ve obtained sufficient confidence that I do know that I’m not ineffective. I simply must work tougher and going again to get my mojo again. It’s one among these items.
“Just a few weeks in the past, [Hamilton was] sitting down the engineers telling them what to do and now you’re coming again and saying, ‘I’m ineffective’.
“Simply give attention to what you’re good at, which is driving a race automotive, as a result of he’s good. He’s a seven-time world champion.”
Hamilton’s Ferrari spiral
Hamilton remained downbeat after Sunday’s grand prix as he stood by his feedback made 24 hours earlier following qualifying.
He cryptically mentioned “there’s lots happening within the background … that is not nice.”
When requested if he would positively be returning on the Dutch Grand Prix, which follows the three-week August break, Hamilton merely replied: “Hopefully I will probably be again, yeah.”
Hamilton has been defended by Ferrari group principal Fred Vasseur and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who downplayed his former star driver’s feedback.
“That’s Lewis sporting his coronary heart on his sleeve,” Wolff mentioned. “It was very uncooked. He was down on himself. We had it prior to now when he felt that he’d underperformed in his personal expectations. He has been that emotionally clear since he was a younger grownup. He’ll beat himself up.”
