Lewis Hamilton Issues Defiant Public Statement Amid Poor Start to Stint at Ferrari, Puts Retirement Rumours to Rest

The start of Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari career has been so poor that it has actually led to speculation that he might end his time in Formula 1 before the end of his contract and retire. 

In a way, it would be understandable - he has a number of big F1 records and his legendary status as a seven-time F1 world champion has been sealed. 

Given Hamilton has now struggled in two cars - Mercedes and Ferrari - in F1's ground effect era, it has led to talks that he may walk away prematurely. 

However, Hamilton has now put the rumours to bed with a rare public display outside of the world of motorsport where he made it clear he isn't giving up. 

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"Please keep your fingers crossed. I'm not going to give up. We're gonna keep getting better. Thank you all so much. Still we rise, right?"

Hamilton's comments could perhaps be in reference to comments from Ralf Schumacher that he may well choose to walk away if he continues to struggle the way he has. 

Schumacher's Hamilton Doubts

He said that it won't be much of a surprise if Hamilton decides that struggling in his final few years of F1 is not worth it. 

Schumacher also compared the kind of struggles that Hamilton is having with his car to other drivers, saying it seems worse with the Ferrari driver.

It isn't just Norris who he compares poorly to - he has not been able to keep pace with Leclerc and even ex-Mercedes teammate George Russell.

Russell has claimed two podiums this season, with Leclerc taking one - and both have almost the same machinery, given Ferrari and Mercedes have a similar gap pace-wise to McLaren.