Juan Pablo Montoya says Lewis Hamilton stops ‘caring’ when he’s fighting in F1 midfield

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Lewis Hamilton’s effort levels are tied to his competitive prospects in an F1 race, Juan Pablo Montoya says. Hamilton starts 2026 off the back of his first-ever season without a podium finish.

But Montoya suspects Hamilton will be energised if Ferrari have a higher ceiling this year. Charles Leclerc scored seven podiums in the SF-25 but the Scuderia didn’t win a Grand Prix and never looked likely to do so.

Having finished fourth in the constructors’ standings last year, many experts have put Ferrari second at the start of the ruleset, just behind Mercedes.

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Juan Pablo Montoya says Lewis Hamilton puts more ‘effort’ into podium fights

Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, Montoya said Hamilton loses motivation when he drops into the lower reaches of the points. His average finishing position last season was 7.4.

By contrast, he can still be relied upon to ‘do the job’ when the car is truly competitive. Hamilton took Ferrari’s only victory of any description in 2025 when he won the China Sprint.

“When things are going well and there’s a chance to win, he does the job and 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.

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“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 win, but 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 has questioned Hamilton’s commitment, even at his lowest moments. He is frequently praised for arriving early in the paddock and not leaving until late at night.