Juan Pablo Montoya says Lewis Hamilton stops ‘caring’ when he’s fighting in F1 midfield
Lewis Hamilton’s effort ranges are tied to his aggressive prospects in an F1 race, Juan Pablo Montoya says. Hamilton begins 2026 off the again of his first-ever season with no podium end.
But Montoya suspects hamilton can be energized if Ferrari have a better ceiling this 12 months. Charles Leclerc scored seven podiums in the SF-25 however the Scuderia did not win a Grand Prix and by no means appeared probably to take action.
Having completed fourth in the builders’ standings final 12 months, many experts have put Ferrari second in the beginning of the ruleset, simply behind Mercedes.
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Juan Pablo Montoya says Lewis Hamilton places extra ‘effort’ into podium fights
Speaking to Sports WorldMontoya stated Hamilton loses motivation when he drops into the decrease reaches of the factors. His common ending place final season was 7.4.
By distinction, he can nonetheless be relied upon to ‘do the job’ when the automobile is really aggressive. Hamilton took Ferrari’s solely victory of any description in 2025 when he received the China Sprint.
“When things are going well and there’s a chance to win, he does the job and it is there. So, we have a Hamilton who, if we’re in 10th place, doesn’t care about being 10th or eighth, because it’s really the same.
“The effort you put in to finish eighth, ninth or tenth isn’t the same as first, second or third.”
Montoya’s comments tally with the opinion of a Mercedes insider. In their experience, Hamilton ‘lets himself down’ when he can’t winbut if he has the ‘slightest chance’, there is nobody better on the grid.
Don’t question Lewis Hamilton’s commitment – why should he care about P10?
Only Hamilton could say for sure whether Montoya is correct. Critics may argue this is a lack of professionalism, but one can understand why his motivation levels may fluctuate.
Hamilton is entering his 20th F1 season, the longest streak of any driver in the sport’s history. He has already won a record 105 races.
Perhaps the only reason he hasn’t retired is that he wants to win an unprecedented eighth title. On that basis, it’s difficult for him to unlock all of his performance when he falls into the midfield.
Nobody at Ferrari you will have questioned Hamilton’s dedication, even at his lowest moments. He is often praised for arriving early in the paddock and never leaving till late at evening.
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