Lewis Hamilton is about to compete in his last race with Mercedes earlier than making his long-awaited transition to Ferrari, marking the top of an iconic chapter in his profession.
Mercedes, sadly, has not been capable of present Hamilton with the triumphant farewell he deserves this season. Whereas his unforgettable victory at Silverstone stands out as a excessive level, it appears destined to be his final time atop the rostrum in Mercedes colours. This poignant win at Spa was marred by the truth that it got here solely after George Russell’s disqualification, casting a shadow over an in any other case historic second.
The previous few seasons have been difficult for Hamilton and the Silver Arrows. Regardless of at all times holding aspirations to race for Ferrari, it’s onerous to think about him leaving Mercedes if he had been nonetheless constantly profitable races and battling for championships. His current efficiency on the Las Vegas Grand Prix showcased his resilience and talent, delivering a powerful restoration drive. Nevertheless, his ongoing struggles in qualifying have been a recurring problem, seemingly costing him one other shot at victory.
Hamilton’s expertise on the Qatar Grand Prix was one other low level. Throughout Channel 4’s protection of the race, Alice Powell mirrored on his forthcoming transfer to Ferrari and supplied insights into his present type.
Alice Powell suggests Ferrari might need considerations about Lewis Hamilton’s mindset
In Qatar, Hamilton managed simply three factors from the Dash Race and certified sixth for the Grand Prix. In the meantime, Russell clinched pole place, albeit amidst controversy, earlier than relinquishing the result in Max Verstappen firstly of the race. Powell was requested about Hamilton’s present frame of mind and the truth that Russell has constantly outperformed him in qualifying. She famous Hamilton’s obvious frustration and instructed it might be a priority for his new crew at Maranello: “He’s a bit hormonal I feel!” – she said.
“He simply needs this season to finish by the sounds of it. [It’s been] very blended this weekend, he’s been outqualified quite a bit by his teammate and that’s a tough place to be in. Confidence drops massively, however Lewis is a seven-time world champion, he’s had peaks, he’s had actual lows. It is a actual low and it’s not look with Ferrari wanting throughout at Lewis going, oh, please don’t carry that perspective over right here, please!”
Lewis Hamilton endured a disastrous outing at the Qatar Grand Prix, the place his race spiraled downward from the very starting. Even earlier than the lights went out, bother was already looming for the 39-year-old.
Lining up on the third row of the grid, Hamilton’s try to keep away from a penalty after a false begin led to a hesitant pause, costing him a number of positions on the opening lap. This early misstep set the tone for what would flip into an error-strewn race.
His hopes of salvaging factors had been dashed completely when he was penalized for rushing within the pit lane throughout a security automotive interval. The protection automotive had been deployed to information the pack by way of the pit lane, avoiding particles scattered on the principle straight after Alex Albon’s mirror was shattered in a collision with Valtteri Bottas. Lewis Hamilton’s lapse in focus almost resulted in a collision with Lando Norris, as he slammed on the brakes on the final second in a frantic bid to keep away from additional penalties.
With the ultimate race of the season in Abu Dhabi on the horizon, feelings are working excessive because it marks the conclusion of System 1’s most profitable driver-team partnership. Followers throughout the globe are hoping for one final nice efficiency from Hamilton and Mercedes, longing to see them half methods with a flourish reasonably than a disappointing fizzle.
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