Lewis Hamilton issues statement after ‘horror race’ at Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton has reflected on a “horror” Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where he finished ninth despite gaining two places late on following Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz’s crash.

The seven-time world champion is looking to move on from the disappointment of Baku where he started from the pit lane due to Mercedes’ engine penalty.   He couldn’t gain positions in the race like Lando Norris did, but is aiming to recover in Singapore.   

Hamilton used the same strategy as Norris, starting on hard tires.   Norris climbed from P15 to P4 while Hamilton didn’t score any points until he gained two positions.    Hamilton, previously known as Twitter, mentioned having a tough weekend but staying positive for the upcoming race in Singapore.   

He posted on Instagram expressing that the weekend had its ups and downs for everyone, but they will focus on the positives and learn from the negatives.  

I’m proud of the team for their hard work leading to the end.   Congratulations to George for the podium, also to Franco and Ollie. It was a great fight with new talent shining through.”   

During the race, Hamilton had difficulty overtaking 19-year-old Ollie Bearman in a Haas car.   Hamilton ended up finishing a full minute behind Russell. Team principal Toto Wolff tried to cheer up Hamilton, but Hamilton was not receptive.    “Lewis, tough race, we can all relate.   Penalty is done, let’s move on.”   

Hamilton did not acknowledge Wolff’s sympathy and only told the team that Hulkenberg overtook him during Virtual Safety Car conditions.    The 39-year-old disagreed with Mercedes’ choice to change his power unit, as it would make it difficult for him to pass in Baku.   

“He hinted at future upgrades, but the team used their old floor in Baku, Singapore, and will switch to a new one at the United States GP.”   

Hamilton expressed disappointment after the race, predicting it would go badly once the decision was made the night before.   He thought they were doing well on Friday but felt the competition had improved more than they did.  

He mentioned they have some new developments coming.