A former Formula One team principal has alleged that Ferrari have failed to honour commitments made to Lewis Hamilton, as the seven-time world champion struggles through a difficult debut season with the Italian outfit.
Gian Carlo Minardi, who previously owned the Minardi F1 team, believes the British driver's recent cryptic remarks stem from unfulfilled promises by Ferrari.
The 77-year-old's comments follow Hamilton's enigmatic post-race interview at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where he suggested all was not well within the Ferrari camp.
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Lewis Hamilton has had a poor start to life at Ferrari since joining them at the start of the season
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Hamilton's challenging start to life at Ferrari reached a new low at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where the 40-year-old could only manage a 12th-place finish whilst team-mate Charles Leclerc secured pole position.
"From various interviews, I understand [that] Lewis is complaining about things that were promised to him but haven't arrived," Minardi stated.
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The British driver's post-race comments to Sky Sports F1 raised eyebrows across the paddock.
"When you have a feeling, you have a feeling. There's a lot going on in the background that is not great," Hamilton revealed.
His response to questions about returning after the summer break proved equally concerning. "I look forward to coming back hopefully I will be back, yeah," he said, sparking speculation about his future intentions.
Minardi cautioned that Ferrari must act swiftly to address Hamilton's concerns or face potentially serious consequences.
The Italian expressed disappointment with Ferrari's current trajectory. "I thought Ferrari was aiming for technical continuity, after coming close to winning the constructors' championship in 2024, but that wasn't the case," he explained.
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Charles Leclerc has regularly outqualifed and outperformed Lewis Hamilton this season
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He defended Hamilton against critics suggesting the driver's career is waning.
"It's unfair to say he's at the end of his career; when he's had the opportunity, he's shown he can still do important things," Minardi insisted.
"It will be a crucial issue between now and the end of the season: we must prevent him from going elsewhere to prove he still has something to offer."
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Fred Vasseur has defended Lewis Hamilton after a horror start to life in red
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Ferrari's team principal Fred Vasseur moved quickly to dismiss suggestions of discord within the team, maintaining that Hamilton remains committed despite his frustrations.
"I don't need to motivate him. He is frustrated but not demotivated, that is a different story," Vasseur told reporters.
The French team boss acknowledged the driver's difficult situation but expressed confidence in his eventual turnaround. "I can perfectly understand the situation," he added.