Hamilton trapped in nightmare season after Brazilian disaster
Lewis Hamilton described his first season with Ferrari as a “nightmare” following a challenging race in Brazil. He qualified in 13th position and collided with Alpine’s Franco Colapinto at the end of the opening lap in Interlagos, reports BritPanorama.
The seven-time world champion suffered a broken front wing and dropped to the last position before being forced to withdraw from the race due to irreparable damage from the crash.
Stewards deemed Hamilton “wholly responsible” for the incident, resulting in a five-second penalty and one point on his licence.
At 40, Hamilton reflected, “This is a nightmare, and I’ve been living it for a while. The flip between the dream of driving for this amazing team, and then the nightmare of results that we’ve had, the ups and downs, it is challenging.” He added that the weekend had been disappointing for everyone involved as he searches for a way to remain positive amidst the turmoil.
Since his much-publicised transfer from Mercedes, Hamilton has not achieved a top-three finish in 21 races for Ferrari, trailing teammate Charles Leclerc by 66 points in the championship standings. Leclerc was running third when he was taken out of the race.
Hamilton was optimistic, noting, “Charles did a great job in qualifying, so there is some performance in that car. I have to believe there is something to come out of all these hardships.” He suggested that they might be experiencing a period of bad luck, saying, “Maybe we are getting all our bad luck out of the way this year… who knows? We will not give up and we will come back fighting at the next race.”
While Ferrari faced challenges, Lando Norris edged closer to becoming world champion by winning the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Oscar Piastri finished fifth after incurring a 10-second penalty, while Norris finished 10.3 seconds ahead of runner-up Kimi Antonelli, and Max Verstappen claimed third despite starting in a low grid position.
Norris now leads Piastri by 24 points in the championship, while Verstappen remains 49 points behind with only 83 points still available across the final three rounds.
Hamilton’s tumultuous journey this season serves as a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in the world of Formula 1. The challenges he faces at Ferrari not only illustrate the highs and lows of racing but also the relentless pursuit of success, a trait that defines the sport and its competitors alike.
