Lewis Hamilton’s ‘not acceptable’ verdict amid ‘bad’ run-in to Mercedes exit
Lewis Hamilton will become a Ferrari driver next season.
Failing to reach the podium in the last seven races despite going into the summer break with two wins on the board, Lewis Hamilton says it is “devastating” to have these “bad” races as he prepares to leave Mercedes.
Although Hamilton spoke at the beginning of the year of ending his partnership with Mercedes on a high, the closer he draws to his departure date, the worse his season seems to become.
Lewis Hamilton: I’m doing the best with what I’ve got
He went into the summer break on the back of two wins in three races, Silverstone and Spa, with Mercedes recording three in four races as George Russell won in Austria.
However, in the seven races since the action resumed, Hamilton hasn’t bagged a single podium while Russell has just one.
The Briton didn’t hold back at the Brazilian Grand Prix, decrying the “damn car” after qualifying before telling the media it was the “worst” it has been.
P10 in the Grand Prix, he reiterated his “the worst the car’s ever been” claim before going on to call his W15 a “plank of wood”.
With just three races remaining as a Silver Arrows driver, Hamilton says he’s doing the best he can with what he’s been given.
“It doesn’t feel good,” he said. “Obviously, it’s devastating to have these bad races in the second half of the season, but all I can say is we’re trying coming into the weekends, but it’s definitely not acceptable.
“It’s definitely not good enough. And we have to take accountability. I have to take accountability. But I am driving, I’m doing the best with what I’ve got with the kit.
“For some reason the car has been the worst this weekend, and I don’t know what it is. We’re going to have to find out what it is.”
“One of the cars was working a lot better,” he added. “So there’s obviously potential.”
Lewis Hamilton mega payday as he leaves Mercedes for Ferrari
?10 biggest sports deals in history: Where does Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari salary rank?
Tenth at the Interlagos circuit while Russell raced his way to fourth having lined up on the front row of the grid, it’s the 2025 Mercedes team leader who’s now ahead in the Drivers’ Championship.
Having already beaten Hamilton in their qualifying head-to-head for the season, 16-5, and also their race head-to-head, 13-8, Russell has taken a two-point lead over Hamilton in the standings.
Hamilton really doesn’t care, after all, they’re not fighting for the World title.
“I just put my focus on something else. I’m not fighting for the championship. Doesn’t matter really where we finish in the championship,” he said.
“I don’t care if I finish ahead of George or behind George. It doesn’t make any difference to me. I just want to keep the car out the wall and try to score points if I can for the team, if I can finish, whatever.”
Read next: Revealed: What Toto Wolff told Michael Masi in new Abu Dhabi 2021 admission
