Lewis Hamilton fumes ‘I don’t care’ with George Russell comment after....R

Lewis Hamilton fumes ‘I don’t care’ with George Russell comment after Brazil disaster

Lewis Hamilton has openly stated that he is no longer concerned about finishing ahead of his Mercedes teammate, George Russell, in the 2024 Drivers’ Championship standings. His comments followed a challenging Brazilian Grand Prix weekend, where the seven-time world champion endured a series of difficulties with his car.

Hamilton’s struggles were evident throughout the event in Sao Paulo. In the sprint race, he finished outside the points, and during the main Grand Prix, his performance didn’t improve much. He ended the race fighting for 10th place with other drivers like Liam Lawson and Sergio Perez. In contrast, his teammate, George Russell, had a significantly better race. Russell finished in 4th position, after leading the race from the start until the virtual safety car deployment on lap 28. The result of the race saw Russell leapfrog Hamilton in the standings, with the latter now sitting 7th, two points behind his younger teammate.

After the race, Hamilton, clearly downbeat, offered a frank assessment of his current mindset. He explained that he had shifted his focus away from championship ambitions, noting that his priority was simply to finish races without damaging the car and to score as many points as possible for the team. Hamilton emphasized that whether he finishes ahead of Russell or not in the championship was of little importance to him. “I just put my focus on something else,” he said. “I’m not fighting for the championship, it doesn’t really matter where we finish in the championship. I don’t care if I finish ahead of George or behind George, it doesn’t make that big of a difference to me.”

He further explained that his current goal was to ensure he kept the car out of the wall and tried to deliver decent results when possible. Hamilton said that with a more stable car in the upcoming races, he hoped the team could secure better results. Despite the frustrations of the season, Hamilton remained optimistic about the future, adding, “Looking forward to Christmas,” suggesting a much-needed break after a trying season.

2024 has been a season of mixed emotions for Hamilton. Though he registered a brief but remarkable resurgence with two wins in a three-race stretch before the summer break, the rest of the season has been less promising. Mercedes, once a dominant force in Formula 1, has found itself overtaken by McLaren and Ferrari in terms of performance. As the season nears its conclusion, another victory appears increasingly unlikely, given the superior form of rival teams.

A key issue for Hamilton has been the unpredictable performance of his Mercedes W15 car. During the Brazilian Grand Prix, on-board footage from both Hamilton and Russell revealed the extent of the struggles. Hamilton was particularly troubled by a lack of traction, especially in low-speed corners, where he struggled with the car slipping and sliding on the wet track. In contrast, Russell appeared to have a more stable car, though he still faced similar bumpy conditions. This discrepancy in car performance has been a consistent theme throughout the season and has contributed significantly to Hamilton’s frustrations.

Looking ahead, Hamilton’s situation may not improve drastically in the final three races of the season. According to Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ trackside engineering director, the team will not be introducing any more major updates to the car for the remainder of the season. This means that Hamilton and the rest of the Mercedes team will have to make do with the current setup, which has proven challenging throughout the year.

Despite these challenges, Hamilton’s statement reveals a shift in his priorities. With the pressure of chasing another title all but gone, Hamilton is focusing on maintaining his form and keeping a positive outlook as he prepares for what could be his final season with Mercedes. The upcoming races, while unlikely to provide a significant breakthrough, will give Hamilton the chance to close out his career with some dignity and potentially help Mercedes improve their position in the constructor’s standings. As for now, he’s looking forward to the respite that the off-season will bring.