David Coulthard says Lewis Hamilton still needs ‘validation’ despite winning 106 F1 races

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Lewis Hamilton’s future in Formula 1 has been questioned for some time, and David Coulthard believes he still has some ‘doubt’ about his career.

Hamilton claimed his 106th win in Barcelona, marking his first victory for Ferrari since signing in 2025. It was also his first win since the 2024 Belgian GP and only his second since 2021.

Sitting third in the standings, his resurgence under the 2026 regulations has squashed any concerns around his future, with many wondering if he would retire. Hamilton wants to keep his career going, but Coulthard still sees him needing to find ‘validation’.

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David Coulthard still sees Lewis Hamilton having ‘doubt’ about his F1 career

Hamilton has a contract option for 2028 at Ferrari, and he has spoken about his desire to continue racing even beyond that. The seven-time champion stands statistically as the greatest driver in the sport’s history, but despite this, Coulthard sees him trying to find a reason to carry on.

Talking about his career and how he has continued to race into his 40s, the former Williams and McLaren driver said on Channel 4 (05/07, 2:31 pm): “He loves it. This is still what centres him, it’s what makes him feel that sense of who he is.

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“I think, amazingly, given the success he’s had, there’s still a doubt there. There’s still a lot of, he needs that validation of going out there.

“What I loved in that interview, he talks about life; you need those difficult moments. He doesn’t just want all the success, because out of those really difficult moments, he’s discovered who he is.”

Hamilton is still in search of his eighth world championship. Since losing the crown to Max Verstappen in 2021, he has not come close to a title challenge.

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Sitting 32 points behind Kimi Antonelli in 2026, Hamilton could be in the mix for the championship this season. However, the general feeling is that Ferrari do not have the package or the upgrades good enough to beat Mercedes.

But the Maranello outfit are working tirelessly to close the gap. Hamilton is ‘convinced’ he can challenge for the 2027 title as the FIA introduce changes to the regulations and the power units.