“Lewis Hamilton Expresses Frustration with Mercedes After Tough Brazilian GP, Shifts Focus Away from Championship”
“Lewis Hamilton Expresses Frustration with Mercedes After Tough Brazilian GP, Shifts Focus Away from Championship”
Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time Formula One World Champion, has admitted his growing frustration after a disappointing performance at the Brazilian Grand Prix. Hamilton finished tenth after an unexpected elimination in Q1 and a challenging sprint race. His struggles were compounded by the success of his teammate, George Russell, who qualified second and secured fourth place in the race. Hamilton was candid in expressing his dissatisfaction, calling the Mercedes W15 car “undrivable.”
Hamilton’s career with Mercedes has been illustrious, featuring numerous victories and six of his seven world titles. However, his current difficulties reflect the ongoing challenges Mercedes has faced since the introduction of the ground effect regulations in 2021. Despite earlier successes this season, including victories at the British and Belgian Grands Prix, the team has struggled in the second half of the season.
Reflecting on the weekend’s performance, Hamilton did not hold back his feelings. “Yesterday was terrible, today was terrible. Yesterday was bad, qualifying was bad, the sprint race was bad. The car’s just been bad all weekend,” he said after the race. The W15 car, which was introduced with high hopes following a difficult 2022 and 2023, has failed to live up to expectations.
The second half of the 2024 season has been particularly frustrating for Hamilton and Mercedes. “It’s devastating to have these bad races in the second half of the season,” he remarked. He added that while the team is working hard, the results are simply not good enough. “We have to take accountability, I have to take accountability. But I am doing the best with what I’ve got.”
One of the major challenges Mercedes has faced is the inconsistency of the car’s performance, which has prevented them from mounting a consistent challenge at the front of the grid. This inconsistency has left both Hamilton and Russell struggling to find form, though Russell has shown more recent success. Mercedes’ season has been marred by unfulfilled potential, and Hamilton’s frustrations are shared by many within the team.
At 39, Hamilton’s perspective on his career and the championship is shifting. After the Brazilian Grand Prix, he acknowledged that the standings no longer hold much significance for him. “I’m looking forward to Christmas,” he said, indicating his desire to move on from the season. “I don’t care if I finish ahead of George or behind George, it doesn’t make that big of a difference to me.”
Hamilton’s comments suggest that he is ready to move on from the struggles of this season, with many fans anticipating his highly publicized move to Ferrari next year. Despite the current frustrations, Hamilton’s legacy with Mercedes remains strong, and his time with the team will be remembered for its dominant successes.
For the remainder of this season, Hamilton seems focused on finishing the year without further incident. “I just want to keep the car out the wall and try to score points if I can for the team,” he said. Looking ahead, he hopes that Mercedes can provide him with a more competitive car for the final races. “If I can finish well and they give me a car that doesn’t bounce off the track in the next few races, then hopefully we get a better result.”
With Hamilton currently sitting sixth in the Drivers’ Championship and Mercedes fourth in the Constructors’ standings, both driver and team are far from the dominant force they once were. However, the desire to finish the season on a positive note remains strong.
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