‘It Was So Bloody Hard to Watch’: Nicolas Hamilton Reveals the Biggest Change in Brother Lewis During Ferrari Career Turnaround

Nicolas Hamilton has opened up about the emotional toll of watching his brother Lewis Hamilton suffer through the most grueling slump of his legendary career, while shedding light on the dramatic personal turnaround that has propelled the seven-time World Champion back to the summit of Formula One. Following the heartbreaking final lap of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix—where Hamilton narrowly missed out on a historic eighth world title—the British driver endured a brutal multi-year decline. The 2022 season marked his first-ever winless campaign, followed by another victory drought in 2023 and a historic slip out of the top six in the Drivers’ Championship standings in 2024. Even a high-profile dream transfer to Scuderia Ferrari in 2025 initially descended into what Hamilton himself described as a “nightmare,” as he failed to secure a single podium finish and ended the year 86 points behind teammate Charles Leclerc.

However, five years on from the agony of 2021, the 41-year-old icon is finally approaching his peak performance levels once again, engineering an extraordinary sporting resurgence inside the Ferrari garage. Hamilton has already surpassed his entire points tally from the dismal 2025 season, securing his maiden victory for the Maranello team at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix alongside five impressive podium finishes. The shift in performance is further highlighted by a massive 117-point swing against his teammate Leclerc, with Hamilton currently sitting 31 points ahead of the Monégasque driver and holding second place in the World Championship standings. Speaking on the Gypsy Tales podcast in July, Nicolas Hamilton reflected on the stark contrast between his brother’s past struggles and his current mindset, emphasizing the sheer psychological resilience required to overcome years of intense public scrutiny and personal doubt.

‘The Power of the Mind’: How Public Scrutiny and Retirement Claims Impacted the Champion

Reflecting on the dark period between 2022 and 2025, Nicolas admitted that watching his elder brother struggle on the global stage was deeply painful for the family. He pointed out that unlike many elite athletes who mask their emotions, Lewis wears his heart on his sleeve, making his internal battles transparent to millions of racing fans and critics around the world. As the podium droughts dragged on, intense public backlash mounted, with vocal critics claiming the British driver was “washed” and urging him to retire from motorsport altogether.

Nicolas emphasized that his brother’s eventual resurgence serves as a powerful testament to mental strength, demonstrating that even world-class athletes with vast wealth and historic achievements are fundamentally vulnerable to how they feel about themselves. By digging deep rather than throwing in the towel during the lowest points of his career, Lewis proved that psychological wellbeing directly dictates high-level athletic performance.

“A lot of people could see Lewis was really struggling the last three years,” Nicolas Hamilton explained during his appearance on the podcast. “He’s been down and out for a while and not driving anywhere near his potential and what people have been used to seeing. You can see the power of the mind through Lewis. Hopefully people are inspired by it, because it makes you realise that it doesn’t matter whether you’ve got seven world titles and you’re a multimillionaire, your mind and how you feel about yourself is literally all that matters.”

“If you don’t feel right, you don’t perform,” Nicolas continued. “Lewis wasn’t in the best of places. He dug deep when a lot of people would have thrown in the towel. Motorsport is brutal. You’re just compared all the time. It was so bloody hard to watch it. He wears his heart on his sleeve. He doesn’t sugarcoat anything. When he’s struggling, everyone gets to see it. The world gets to see it. Then there’s people being like, ‘Ah, Lewis should retire! He’s washed!’ And I’m thinking, everyone gets s—, everyone gets negativity, it doesn’t matter how successful you’ve been, there’s always people trying to pull you down.”

Positive Influences and Personal Happiness: The Kim Kardashian Effect

A major factor behind Hamilton’s renewed energy appears to be a deliberate effort to surround himself with positive personal influences and a supportive inner circle. The Ferrari star’s happier demeanor has coincided with his high-profile romance with US media personality and SKIMS founder Kim Kardashian, a relationship that has drawn significant global attention throughout the 2026 season. While Nicolas admitted he has yet to meet Kardashian in person, he acknowledged that the positive shift in his brother’s everyday outlook and personal stability is unmistakable to those closest to him.

Nicolas noted that when an athlete feels grounded and supported off the track, the mental burden of competition becomes noticeably lighter. This personal balance has translated directly into on-track results, enabling Hamilton to mount a serious title charge in second place behind a rapid Mercedes outfit.

“He looks better in terms of his life,” Nicolas revealed regarding his brother’s current state of mind. “He looks happier as a man. Maybe that’s Kim. I don’t know, I haven’t met Kim yet. He looks happier, he looks more solid in his life. It’s about being around people that make you feel good. When you feel good, everything just feels lighter.”

Brotherly Pride: Prioritizing Happiness Over Championship Standings

Despite the high stakes of the 2026 World Championship battle—where Hamilton currently finds himself hunting down the leaders from second in the standings—Nicolas maintained that his primary concern as a brother has little to do with trophy tallies or championship positioning. Having witnessed the mental toll of the preceding years, Nicolas expressed immense relief simply seeing his brother enjoying his racing career once again.

“He’s found himself P2 in the championship. Mercedes obviously seem rapid and very hard to beat,” Nicolas concluded. “I don’t really care about whether he’s second in the championship or last in the championship. As long as he’s happy and he’s enjoying his motorsport – because I know he wasn’t – that’s all I need as a brother.”