Lewis Hamilton is about to compete in his closing 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 all the time holding aspirations to race for Ferrari, it’s onerous to think about him leaving Mercedes if he had been nonetheless persistently profitable races and battling for championships. His latest efficiency on the Las Vegas Grand Prix showcased his resilience and talent, delivering a formidable restoration drive. Nevertheless, his ongoing struggles in qualifying have been a recurring concern, 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 provided insights into his present kind.
Alice Powell suggests Ferrari may need issues 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 at the beginning of the race. Powell was requested about Hamilton’s present mind-set and the truth that Russell has persistently outperformed him in qualifying. She famous Hamilton’s obvious frustration and urged it could possibly be a priority for his new group at Maranello: “He’s a bit hormonal I feel!” – she acknowledged.
“He simply needs this season to finish by the sounds of it. [It’s been] very blended this weekend, he’s been outqualified loads 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 an excellent look with Ferrari wanting throughout at Lewis going, oh, please don’t carry that angle 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 and 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 solely when he was penalized for dashing within the pit lane throughout a security automobile interval. The security automobile had been deployed to information the pack by way of the pit lane, avoiding particles scattered on the primary straight after Alex Albon’s mirror was shattered in a collision with Valtteri Bottas. Lewis Hamilton’s lapse in focus practically 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 operating 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 quite than a disappointing fizzle.
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