Lewis Hamilton's emotional outburst at the Spanish Grand Prix offered a telling glimpse into the mind of F1's greatest driver. The veteran Brit was visibly upset after limping home in sixth place despite having high hopes of a podium finish. To make matters worse, he was humiliated when Nico Hulkenberg breezed past his Ferrari in the closing stages of the contest.

The pain of yet another failure was simply too much for Hamilton, who began crying in his cockpit after the chequered flag. He continued to wipe away tears while speaking to reporters in the media pen after stepping out of his car. Just minutes earlier, his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc had been celebrating on the podium after finishing third.

Hamilton looked utterly defeated and his tearful reaction was hard to watch, given that he is the most successful driver in F1 history. It showed how far he has fallen over the last few years and suggested that he may have already given up on his ultimate dream.

It is no secret that Hamilton is desperate to win an eighth world title and surpass the record he currently shares with Michael Schumacher. However, his emotional breakdown in Barcelona painted a heartbreaking picture of self-doubt and surrender.

While others have already suggested that an eighth title may be a step too far, Hamilton has remained steadfast in his pursuit of unrivalled greatness. Only a few months ago, he said that he was more hopeful of achieving his goal than ever before.

Since then, his confidence has nosedived with Hamilton's tears suggesting that he is resigned to the possibility of never winning another title. It was a sign of reluctant acceptance, an emotional release that spoke volumes about where his mind was at.

The bottom line is that Hamilton has nothing else left to achieve in F1. If he really feels that it will never happen, he should walk away from the sport with the consolation of still being arguably the greatest driver of all time.

Next year's regulation changes might provide one last opportunity for the Brit to go where nobody has ever gone before. The new rules will almost certainly shake up the pecking order, meaning it will depend on Ferrari to produce a title-winning car.

If they do, it could give Hamilton the platform to close out his glittering career in the perfect way. But if they fail to establish themselves as genuine contenders, it might just be his final season on the F1 grid.