"Never write Lewis Hamilton off": Toto Wolff comes out in defence of the Ferrari driver

Toto Wolff had all the support for Lewis Hamilton after the Ferrari driver had a disastrous outing in the recently concluded Hungarian GP. Speaking in defence of his former driver, Wolff stated that on a good weekend, one should never write him off.

As F1 was in Hungary for the 14th race of the season, Hamilton had a weekend to forget. The seven-time world champion not only failed to manage a solid starting spot on Saturday but also failed to make a mark on Sunday.

He started his race from P12 and finished at the same spot. Following his qualifying and race, the British driver seemed dejected and lacked confidence. This came at a race weekend where his teammate, Charles Leclerc, claimed the pole and came home in P4.

As questions were raised regarding Hamilton's prowess as a racing driver, given that he is 40 years old now, he received a much-needed impetus from Toto Wolff, his former boss. Speaking about how Hamilton can be a driver to look out for on a given weekend, here's what the Mercedes boss told Channel 4:

"Never write Lewis Hamilton off. I don't know, I've always said that Lewis in a good weekend is still an absolute, absolute dominant guy. He's always been strong in the second half of the season also, so never write Lewis Hamilton off."

Here's the video where Toto Wolff praised Lewis Hamilton after the Hungarian GP:

Hamilton raced with Mercedes for 12 years, where he claimed six of his seven F1 titles, picked up 84 wins, and numerous podiums. He left the Silver Arrows at the end of last year and joined Ferrari, replacing Carlos Sainz.

F1 boss hailed Lewis Hamilton after disappointing Hungarian GP

Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari driving the SF-25 at the F1 Grand Prix Of Hungary - Source: Getty

Toto Wolff wasn't the only person to hail Lewis Hamilton after a disappointing Hungaroring race. F1 CEO, Stefano Domenicali also shared his thoughts on Hamilton and termed him a jewel. Speaking about this, here's what he said:

"First of all, Lewis is a jewel, he is an incredible athlete, so no matter if it is a difficult moment, he will react, and I am pretty sure he will show the reason why he is here."

“He wants to achieve his eighth title, and he will triumph again. So stay with Lewis and he will do a great race, and be very very strong after the summer season," Domenicali further added. (Via PlanetF1)

Hamilton is currently in P6 in the Driver's Standings with 109 points, after 14 races and three Sprints. His teammate, Charles Leclerc, is in P5 with 151 points. Ferrari are in P2 in the Constructors' Championship with 260 points.

About the author

Sabyasachi Biswas is a passionate motorsport journalist for Sportskeeda, with a Master's degree in Mass Communication and Journalism. He has over eight years of experience in the field and has over 10000 published articles on the internet.

As a dedicated follower of motorsport, Sabyasachi watches events closely, ensuring his reports are thorough and supported by reputable sources. He is inspired by Max Verstappen’s fearless attitude and dreams of attending the Indian GP if it returns to the calendar. An ardent F1 fan over the years, he enjoyed watching Felipe Massa and Sebastian Vettel and is now following Verstappen's dominant journey on the track.

Apart from F1, he is a big-time NASCAR and football (also soccer) fan. Sabyasachi supports Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports and Spanish club, Real Madrid.

He was a sub-junior level footballer and won inter-district quizzes and debate competitions back in school. A travel freak by nature, Sabyasachi likes to try different cuisines and learn about new cultures. When away from his keyboard, he enjoys soccer, geopolitics, and playing with Khushi & Ubbu - his adorable beagles.

Know More

Edited by Mitali