As Lewis Hamilton continues to grapple with a challenging debut season at Ferrari, Sky Sports F1 analyst and former Formula 1 driver Anthony Davidson believes the time has come to acknowledge a difficult truth: age may be catching up with the seven-time world champion.
Speaking during Sky’s coverage of the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, Davidson pointed to the toll that time inevitably takes on athletes at the elite level, describing it as “the elephant in the room.”
Hamilton, now 40, is the second-oldest driver on the Formula 1 grid behind Fernando Alonso, and while the British icon has repeatedly dismissed talk of declining performance, Davidson suggested the impact of aging can't be ignored.
"Age is a factor as well"
“This is just another hurdle that he’s having to overcome and I don’t mind saying it because it’s the elephant in the room, and I’ve been there myself as a driver, age is a factor as well,” said Davidson.
“I feel like this time of reflection for him, as an athlete ages, it does [affect performance].
“Whatever anyone says, even himself, others that are very involved with Lewis, fans, they won’t understand where I’m coming from, but I’ve lived and breathed it as an athlete. I’m now retired at 46. You start asking yourself questions. It’s only natural.”
Davidson, 46, who raced in F1 and has remained closely tied to the sport through his commentary and simulator work, also pointed to the challenges of adapting to new machinery and regulations – something he believes has never fully suited Hamilton since the 2022 rule changes.
“For me, Lewis has never been the same driver since we saw the 2022 regulations come along and he’s had to work harder than ever before to rework his style that he’s done many times before in Formula 1,” he explained.
“The cars have changed a long way since the normally aspirated V8 and the grooved tyres that he once drove, for example, and he’s had to reinvent himself along the way.”
Under Pressure in Maranello
Hamilton’s first season in red has so far fallen short of expectations. After leaving Mercedes at the end of 2024, where he secured six world titles and spent 12 years, the Briton stepped into what many described as the “pressure cooker” of Ferrari.
“We all know what Ferrari is like, at least from the outside,” Davidson explained.
“We have a few friends, ex-colleagues that are on the inside and they confirm the beliefs from in the paddock that it’s a pressure cooker.
“There’s a high expectation on the Italian national team to perform and the request of the standards are incredibly high…
“He knew what he was walking into, but it’s never easy. As a driver, you know the challenges of changing teams. Even changing car to car, like we’ll see next year with the rules changing and like we saw in 2022.”
Hamilton Frustrated: "There's a lot going on in the background"
The Hungarian Grand Prix only intensified scrutiny on F1’s most successful driver. After a disappointing qualifying session that saw him start 12th, Hamilton appeared dejected and critical – even suggesting Ferrari should consider replacing him.
“When you have a feeling, you have a feeling. There's a lot going on in the background that is not great,” he told Sky Sports F1 after the race, standing by earlier remarks that he had been “useless” during qualifying and that the team might want to look at another driver.
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The frustration comes amid growing questions about the synergy – or lack thereof – between Hamilton and Ferrari.
While Hamilton remains defiant about his commitment to the sport, Davidson’s comments highlight a conversation that may become increasingly difficult to avoid: whether time is finally catching up with one of F1’s all-time greats.
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