Hamilton’s Frustration Mounts as Season Winds Down

Hamilton’s Season Slump Marks End of Mercedes Era

04/11/2024

Lewis Hamilton’s Brazilian GP was marred by frustrations as his Mercedes struggles with ongoing stability issues, leaving him eager for season’s end.

Lewis Hamilton endured a lackluster weekend in Brazil. The seven-time British world champion finished in a modest tenth place, frustrated by the relentless bouncing of his Mercedes W15.

Since the season’s start, Hamilton has struggled with an unstable car, and after his disappointing race in São Paulo, he made it clear that he is more than ready to put this challenging season behind him.

Next year, Hamilton will be on the grid in a Ferrari, marking the end of his historic partnership with Mercedes, one of the most successful in Formula 1 history. But the end of this collaboration is far from glorious.

For several races, Hamilton has shown signs of frustration, and the Brazilian Grand Prix only intensified this sentiment. “If they give me a car that doesn’t bounce for the last three races, I might do better. But really, I can’t wait for Christmas,” he admitted.

The W15’s bouncing makes driving far more challenging, rendering races physically taxing. Asked about the source of the problem, Hamilton was emphatic:

“It’s partly the track, but mainly the car. Something is really wrong. Yesterday was terrible, and today was worse. Qualifying, the sprint race… everything was bad.”

This bitter season’s end has led the Briton to openly criticize the team’s current management.

“It’s exhausting to keep pushing through such poor performances in the second half of the season. We go into every weekend trying to give our best, but this is unacceptable. It’s below our standards. I take my share of the responsibility, but I’m doing everything I can with what I’ve got. This car was at its worst this weekend. We still need to find out why,” he said after the race.

End of an Era at Mercedes

Hamilton, perplexed, is struggling to understand why he’s facing such difficulties, especially as his teammate George Russell seems to be extracting much more from the same car.

“One of the cars is doing much better, so there is potential,” Hamilton noted. “Why? That’s the million-dollar question. If anyone has the answer, I’ll give them that million!”

The end of the Mercedes-Hamilton collaboration, once a formidable duo, is fading in a muted tone of disillusionment. Hamilton seems to accept the situation and is approaching the last three races with detachment.

“I’ll focus on other things. I’m not fighting for the championship anymore, so it doesn’t really matter where I finish. Whether I end up ahead or behind George, it makes no difference to me. My only goal is to keep the car out of the wall and try to score some points,” he concluded.

Hamilton’s Frustration Mounts as Season Winds Down
Hamilton’s Frustration Mounts as Season Winds Down

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