Hamilton bankruptcy – It has been a year to forget for Lewis Hamilton, a season where the narrative has lurched from frustration to outright calamity. The switch to Ferrari was meant to be the dawn of a new chapter, the kind that rewrites legacies and silences doubters. Instead, the pages so far have been smudged with missed opportunities, awkward headlines, and a growing sense that nothing, on or off the track, is quite going his way.
The setbacks have not been confined to the paddock. Away from the roar of the engines, ventures bearing Hamilton’s name have begun to show cracks, the kind that no amount of PR gloss can fully conceal. For a man accustomed to managing both his career and his brand with precision-engineered finesse, this sudden run of misfortune has the air of a storyline spiralling beyond his control.
It is a reminder that even in the rarified world of Formula 1 superstardom, momentum is a fragile commodity. The wins, the partnerships, the carefully cultivated image — they all count for little when the tide turns against you. And for Hamilton, 2025 has so far been the kind of year where the tide not only turns but seems intent on sweeping the entire sandcastle away.
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Hamilton’s Business Woes, Now Bust
Lewis Hamilton’s 2025 season with Ferrari may be going from bad to worse on track, but now trouble has hit his business interests too.
Neat Burger, the vegan fast-food chain backed by the seven-time Formula 1 world champion and Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio, has officially filed for bankruptcy. It marks the end of the road for a venture once hailed as the future of fast casual dining and comes at a particularly awkward time for Hamilton, just days after he announced a new product with his other brand, Almave.
Founded in 2019, Neat Burger quickly gained attention for its plant-based burgers and celebrity endorsements. Branches opened in London, Milan, and New York, with ambitious plans for global expansion. However, cracks began to show earlier this year when the company shuttered its final UK outlets in April, cutting around 150 jobs. While Hamilton never positioned himself as the sole figurehead of the business, his name was heavily tied to the brand, making its collapse a very public setback.
Receivership Before Spa
The company quietly appointed FRP Advisory as receivers just before the Belgian Grand Prix, a detail that slipped under the radar amid the summer break gossip mill. That timing is significant, Hamilton had been teasing a “big announcement” for August 8, the first Friday of Formula 1’s mid-season pause, sending fans into a frenzy.
The rumour mill quickly churned out one dramatic theory: that Hamilton was about to retire.
Instead, the big reveal was far less seismic for the sporting world, but still newsworthy for the lifestyle pages. The Briton unveiled his own non-alcoholic tequila under the Almave label, a drinks brand he helped launch in 2023 that specialises in agave-based spirits without the alcohol. The announcement was slick, polished, and perfectly timed to capture attention, but Neat Burger’s bankruptcy now casts a shadow over his entrepreneurial credibility and certainly for his professional future beyond what is looking increasingly like a failed Swan-song in F1.
A Season to Forget
Hamilton’s woes don’t stop at the boardroom door. On track, his first half-season with Ferrari has been historically poor. For the first time in his career, he has reached the summer break without a single podium. Compare that to last year, when he clinched a memorable home victory at Silverstone and was a regular fixture in the top three.
Right now, Hamilton sits sixth in the drivers’ standings, a full 49 points adrift of teammate Charles Leclerc, who has already bagged podium finishes and a pole position. The contrast in fortunes between the two Ferrari drivers has been stark, and Hamilton’s frustration has been palpable. In recent weeks, he has even suggested the Scuderia “should look for a new driver,” a remark that raised more than a few eyebrows given his contract for next year.
Retirement Talk Refuses to Die
At 41 next January, Hamilton is no longer immune to questions about when he will call it quits. The Belgian Grand Prix weekend fuelled speculation when he hinted at an upcoming “big announcement,” with fans and pundits alike bracing for a potential farewell speech.
Instead, they got a tequila bottle, albeit a sober one.
Still, Neat Burger’s implosion will inevitably be seen by some as a sign that Hamilton’s post-racing ventures may be shakier than his on-track performances this year. Supporters will point out that business failures are hardly unusual in the fast-food sector, especially in the turbulent post-pandemic market. Critics will counter that it’s a blow to a man who has built a public persona around success and savvy decision-making.
It’s an odd moment for Hamilton: the racing legend whose brand is built on winning finds himself in a season, and a year, where victory is proving elusive both in the paddock and in the boardroom. Whether this is a brief dip or the beginning of a more permanent shift remains to be seen.
So, members of the jury, what’s your take? Is Neat Burger’s bankruptcy just an unfortunate footnote in Hamilton’s career, or does it hint at deeper troubles for the driver-turned-entrepreneur? Drop your verdict in the comments below.
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With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
