Sam Bird identifies Lewis Hamilton’s biggest ‘problem’ that Ferrari created at the Hungarian Grand Prix

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Lewis Hamilton had a nightmare Hungarian Grand Prix and will be relieved to be heading into Formula 1’s summer break.

On a track which he has dominated at through the years, the Briton failed to reach Q3 and then sat in traffic for the majority of the race. Ferrari had no answer for his woes.

Conversely, teammate Charles Leclerc had a wonderful weekend at the Hungarian Grand Prix, proving to Hamilton that their car does have race-winning pace in the right hands.

The two have led their team to second in the constructors’ championship despite being fifth and sixth in the drivers’ standings. Collectively, they have managed to find some consistency, despite a lack of pace in the SF25 this year.

Unfortunately, Hamilton has developed a driving ‘habit’ which the Scuderia may struggle to solve. He hasn’t quite mastered braking yet.

Fred Vasseur disagreed with Hamilton about the cause of his woes in Budapest. The seven-time champion recommended that his team change driver after qualifying.

READ MORE: Sam Bird saw Lewis Hamilton wasn’t ‘comfortable’ with key issue in Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying shambles

Sam Bird says Lewis Hamilton’s ‘problem’ was traffic created by Ferrari at the Hungarian Grand Prix

Sam Bird heard something ‘awful’ on Hamilton’s onboard during Friday practice, and believes that his downshifts were poor.

Even recent upgrades have not been enough to give him more confidence and pace with the SF25. He has issues all over the shop.

Hamilton is approaching an unwanted Ferrari record just 14 races into his career with the Maranello-based outfit.

And Sam Bird spotted that starting him on the hard tyre at the Hungaroring would end up putting him in traffic at the Hungaroring.

In essence, it’s a ‘problem’ that Ferrari ended up creating for Hamilton by not starting him on a softer tyre.

“Lewis Hamilton started on the hard tyre so he’s got to stay out there,” Bird told BBC Sport. “That’s the problem with starting on the hard tyres here, you have to play the long game, you can’t go to the undercut.”

READ MORE: Charles Leclerc ‘surprised’ by ‘very interesting’ thing he’s noticed with Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari

Why Lewis Hamilton will have been left ‘disgruntled’ at Max Verstappen during the Hungarian Grand Prix

Hamilton’s misery was compounded in Hungary while battling in the midfield on his worn hard tyres. An old nemesis came back to inflict more pain.

Reigning champion Max Verstappen attempted an overtake on Hamilton, but he ended up running wide and losing time as a result.

It wouldn’t have done much to put a smile on his face, having already suffered in the dirty air of cars he would have expected to have been ahead of.

Bird believes that the move, which was investigated by the stewards after the race, would have left Hamilton upset.

“Lewis Hamilton will be very very disgruntled with that move,” he said.