Lewis Hamilton said Ferrari should drop him from his £60million-a-year-contract after he qualified a horrendous 12th in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix while his teammate Charles Leclerc took a shock pole position.
Hamilton’s display marked his worst-ever qualifying result in Budapest, and moved his head-to-head record against Leclerc in qualifying to 10-4 this season.
A distraught, monosyllabic Hamilton said: ‘‘It’s me every time. I’m useless, absolutely useless.
“The team have no problem. You’ve seen the car’s on pole. So we probably need to change driver.’
Hamilton has only competed 13 races for Ferrari since his sensational move to the team, and has not finished on the podium in that period.
He is 30 points behind Leclerc, who pole came from nowhere, with the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris qualifying second and third.
Hamilton’s only high point at Ferrari has been victory in the sprint in China. Other than that, he has desperately struggled for form aged 40.
The Hungaroring has long been Hamilton’s personal playground, with the Brit boasting nine poles and eight victories at the circuit.
Nevertheless, it remains one of the most punishing tracks on the calendar for overtaking, and Hamilton could find himself deep in a midfield scrap today if he fails to make an impressionable start in the Grand Prix.
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