“Life is about to get complicated” – Montoya on Hamilton’s struggle in Ferrari

10:45, 18 Aug

Updated: 12:00, 18 Aug

byPietro Vurro

Former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has weighed in on Lewis Hamilton’s current challenges in Formula 1, revealing just how tricky the reigning seven-time world champion’s situation has become.

According to Montoya speaking at his podcast "The Montoyas", “Lewis is at a point where, if he wants to beat the car, and he's working very hard, but you can see that he's not comfortable in the car and, the engineers haven't understood, they're starting to understand and realize, but they haven't really understood how difficult that car is."

Montoya sees Hamilton in F1 for more years

Montoya praised Hamilton’s speed, adding, “I'm telling you the truth, I insist, Charles is very fast, but he looks very fast because he can drive the car, do you understand me? So I think that the more Lewis adjusts to the car and the more comfortable he becomes, his life is going to get complicated, guys. So far it hasn't been too complicated for him, but let's see.”

On the topic of Hamilton potentially considering retirement, Montoya believes it’s too soon: “Not this year. He gives it another two years, at least, uh, because the rules, the rules are so different from next year and the theory of the car is so different, and the geometries and everything are so different that the car could behave very differently next year, and it could be something that he likes and that comes out on his side.”

Hamilton in Hungary

Montoya also emphasized the importance of simulators: “I think it will continue to have problems unless the only way to solve this problem is if the car behaves similarly in the simulator. If the car in the simulator has the same tendencies, that's where you really have to get to work and look at the geometry and things in the car to see what you have to do. Do you understand? Because if you don't do it yourself, it doesn't work.”