Lewis Hamilton’s dream of an eighth F1 title with Ferrari is spinning off track.

His comments at the Hungarian Grand Prix in early August sparked concern among fans of Hamilton and Ferrari as the seven-time champion called himself “absolutely useless,” suggested Ferrari should consider replacing him, and hinted at deeper issues. “There’s a lot going on in the background that is not great,” Hamilton said.

Having a four-week break before next week’s Dutch Grand Prix offers a much-needed reset, argues Michael E Sawyer, author of a biography of Hamilton, Sir Lewis.