Hamilton refutes claims of a physical altercation related to his "useless" remark.

      Lewis Hamilton stated that he has returned from the summer break in Formula 1 with a renewed perspective after labeling himself as "useless" prior to the hiatus. "In the heat of the moment, anyone can feel that way, and that’s how I felt," the seven-time champion acknowledged at Zandvoort. "The first half of the season was filled with so much pressure that it wasn’t enjoyable. So we need to remember our love for this sport. We’re all in this together, and we should aim to enjoy it."

      The 40-year-old Ferrari driver expressed that his primary focus for the remainder of the year is to regain the joy in racing. "Having fun is probably the most crucial aspect because that’s why I got into this sport in the first place—because it was fun. Regardless of your career, if you’re not enjoying what you do, then why do it?" the Briton remarked.

      Hamilton feels that "the noise of the paddock" surrounding difficult weekends had diverted his attention from what truly matters. "It can cause you to lose focus on what’s significant. That’s why I say I want to rediscover that joy," he explained. "I joined the team I always dreamed of racing for, but all the noise made it hard for me to fully enjoy it."

      Reflecting on his experience, Hamilton suggested that his challenging adjustment period is not uncommon. "I’ve faced this many times. I’ve never stepped into a car and won right away; there have always been challenging times, and I’m not one to settle for that. This is similar to what occurred in my long-term relationship in the past."

      When asked by Sky Italia if his difficulties could simply stem from aging, Hamilton rejected that idea. "No problem with that," he smiled. "It might take a bit longer to recover, but I feel stronger than ever. I have more muscle now, which is usually the opposite of what happens as you age. I believe I’m far from losing my strength, but perhaps in ten years, the situation will be different."

      Regarding his teammate Charles Leclerc, his attempt to secure a win from pole position in Hungary faltered amid claims that Ferrari made setup adjustments during a pit stop to avoid issues with plank wear. "I’m not going to comment on that," Leclerc stated. "I don’t really care about what George (Russell) said after the race. The situation is much more complex than he suggests, but I don’t want to elaborate too much on it."

      Looking forward, the Monegasque acknowledged that Ferrari must not let McLaren’s dominance in 2025 carry over into the new rules era. "You often hear things that lead you to think in a particular way," Leclerc noted. "Then you begin to ponder their methods, and of course, the media plays a big role in revealing McLaren's secrets. Our priority is to keep ahead and ensure we don’t fall behind with the latest developments," Leclerc added. "We need to discover things that other teams haven’t yet found because if you’re only following others, you'll end up as the second team."