Lewis Hamilton’s ‘not acceptable’ verdict amid ‘bad’ run-in to Mercedes exit

Lewis Hamilton has expressed disappointment with his performance in the second half of the Formula 1 season, describing it as “devastating” as he approaches the end of his partnership with Mercedes. After a promising first half, where Hamilton achieved two wins before the summer break, his results have taken a downturn, with no podium finishes in the last seven races. This has led the seven-time world champion to criticize the state of his Mercedes W15 car, which he called “the worst it has ever been.”

At the Brazilian Grand Prix, Hamilton didn’t mince words regarding the car’s performance, labeling it a “plank of wood” after qualifying and repeatedly stating it was the “worst” it’s been all season. He finished tenth in the race, far behind his teammate George Russell, who secured fourth place and has been faring better than Hamilton in recent events. Russell’s improved performance has now positioned him ahead of Hamilton in the Drivers’ Championship by two points. With Russell already leading in the qualifying battles for the season, 16-5, and edging out Hamilton 13-8 in race finishes, he now looks set to end the season as Mercedes’ top driver.

Despite his struggles, Hamilton insists he is doing his best with the equipment he has. He acknowledges that while both he and the team must take responsibility, the car’s recent issues have been frustrating, especially given his ambition to finish his Mercedes career on a high note. “It doesn’t feel good,” Hamilton said. “Obviously, it’s devastating to have these bad races in the second half of the season, but all I can say is we’re trying coming into the weekends, but it’s definitely not acceptable. It’s not good enough. And we have to take accountability. I have to take accountability. But I am driving, I’m doing the best with what I’ve got with the kit.”

Hamilton also noted the inconsistency in car performance, pointing out that Russell’s car seemed to be working better at the Brazilian circuit, suggesting there’s still potential in the W15. “One of the cars was working a lot better,” he said. “So there’s obviously potential.”

With only three races remaining before he departs Mercedes to join Ferrari, Hamilton appears focused on closing out his time at Mercedes with stability rather than championship goals. For him, the priority now is to keep the car on track and score points where possible. “I just put my focus on something else. I’m not fighting for the championship,” he said. “Doesn’t matter really where we finish in the championship. I don’t care if I finish ahead of George or behind George. It doesn’t make any difference to me. I just want to keep the car out of the wall and try to score points if I can for the team, if I can finish, whatever.”

This candid approach signals a shift for Hamilton, who has traditionally been in title contention with Mercedes throughout his career. However, with the current car’s limitations and the team’s inability to find a competitive setup, Hamilton’s focus has shifted to simply helping the team in his final races, accepting that a strong finish may not be possible this season.