Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has posted a message on social media ahead of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix. The Ferrari driver went into the summer break after one of his worst races this year in Hungary.

Hamilton started the 2025 season with a bang, given his sprint race victory in China. However, his performance dropped significantly in between as he continued his efforts to adapt to Ferrari’s SF-25 F1 car. However, at the most recent Hungarian GP, Hamilton was knocked out of Q2 in qualifying, leading him to address the media in a dejected state.

The 40-year-old driver qualified in P12 and called himself “useless” for the disappointing performance, even going to the extent of saying that Ferrari should look for another driver. On the other hand, his teammate Charles Leclerc secured pole position.

On race day, Hamilton finished the race in the same position, P12. While he acknowledged that internal changes were needed at Ferrari, his low morale surprised many, with some even questioning whether he would see out his contract with the team.

Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari looks on in the Drivers Press Conference during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on July 24, 2025 in Spa, Belgium.
Now though, the Briton has posted a message on Instagram along with images from his summer holiday, hinting that the break has helped him rejuvenate for the remaining ten races of the 2025 season, since he wrote about the importance of pushing ahead even when the going gets tough. Hamilton wrote:

“I’m always so grateful for this time, for the opportunity to rest and recharge. There’s a lot I’ve been meditating on. Every one of us is up against so much, both individually and globally. It’s so important that we embrace the light of truth and love and take care of ourselves so that we can better take care of others. We can’t look away. We have to keep going, even when it’s difficult.”

Amid concerns about Hamilton’s dejected form, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur was quizzed after the Hungarian GP about what could be done to make Hamilton feel better. He said:

“Stay calm. Build on the fact that he’s already taken the first step. Don’t let things like Budapest get him down. Lewis is very self-critical. He’s always extreme in his outbursts.

“Sometimes he’s too harsh on the car, sometimes on himself. He wants to get the most out of himself and everyone in the team. You have to calm him down and explain to him that in Q2 he was only a tenth behind the driver who later took pole position. That’s not a big deal.”

He added:

“The message he sends out only makes things worse. He’s usually only that extreme with the press. By the time he gets to the briefing room, he’s usually calmed down again. That’s just his way. For me, it’s not a drama. He demands a lot. From others, but also from himself. I can live with that.”