Lewis Hamilton endured a difficult sprint race in Brazil on Saturday as Mercedes’ suffered in relation to their rivals.
Lewis Hamilton has told his Mercedes engineers that he’ll be happy to see the back of the W14 after the remaining three Grands Prix of the season are completed. The seven-time world champion endured a miserable sprint race in Brazil on Saturday.
Hamilton found himself in P4 after the opening lap of the sprint race after launching an impressive move on Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, although as the drivers settled into their stints, Mercedes’ pace was exposed for all to see.
The Mercedes star was quickly repassed by Perez before Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and in-form AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda edged their way past in the closing stages. When the chequered flag waved in Sao Paulo, Hamilton was eventually classified in P7. Team-mate George Russell fared marginally better, holding on to a P4 finish.
“And you come to another track and then you have the worst [tyre] deg that you’ve had for ages. So it’s like you just don’t know what to expect with this one.
But only a couple more races with this car and it’s gone, and I’ll be happy! This year, you’re just counting down the days, trying to enjoy every day as you can. Not only was Hamilton left frustrated after the sprint race in Brazil, but he was left further behind Perez in the battle for P2 in the Drivers’ Championship too.
Hamilton ‘happy’ season almost over
Mercedes’ disappointing race follows
from positive outings in the United States and Mexico, with Hamilton taking the chequered flag in second for both races (before being disqualified from the US result).
Hamilton suggested that he is looking towards the end of the year to be rid of the W14 amid its fluctuating form.
“The last couple of races we’ve been getting excited about progressing and it’s been really positive to see,” he said.
“We come to another track and this you have the worst degradation that you have had for ages.
“You just don’t know what to expect. But only a couple more races with this car, so I’m happy.”.
The two drivers went into the weekend at Interlagos separated by just 20 points, but the Mexican’s advantage has now drifted to 24 points ahead of the Grand Prix on Sunday.
While Hamilton is starting ahead of the Red Bull driver on the grid, the two cars looked like they belonged to different series on Sunday, so Checo will expect to be comfortably ahead of both Mercedes drivers when the chequered flag drops.