Lewis Hamilton revealed he can’t look ahead to Christmas in what’s a telling abstract of his last season with Mercedes.
Firstly of the yr, Hamilton knowledgeable boss Toto Wolff of his resolution to terminate his cope with the Silver Arrows to hitch Ferrari for 2025.
Nevertheless, the Briton made it clear he needed to finish his tenure at Mercedes, who he joined in 2013 from McLaren, with a bang.
He achieved that by profitable the British Grand Prix in July earlier than taking victory in Spa-Francorchamps later that month.
Nevertheless, his fourth-place end in Mexico was juxtaposed by a retirement in Austin and tenth in Sao Paulo, the place his Mercedes struggled on the resurfaced, bumpy asphalt.
And now the 39-year-old can’t look ahead to this season to be over earlier than he begins the brand new marketing campaign with Ferrari subsequent yr.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG
Photograph by: Erik Junius
When requested by Autosport about his disappointment, Hamilton mentioned: “I simply put my concentrate on one thing else. I am not preventing for the championship. Would not matter, actually, the place we end within the championship.
“I do not care if I end forward of [team-mate] George [Russell] or behind George. It does not make no distinction to me. I simply need to preserve the automotive out the wall and attempt to rating factors if I can for the workforce, if I can end, no matter.
“If they offer me a automotive that does not bounce off the observe within the subsequent few races, then hopefully we are able to get a greater consequence. However yeah, trying ahead to Christmas.”
Hamilton was requested to determine whether or not the bouncing issues, which induced him appreciable again ache all week in Brazil, have been due to Mercedes’ low experience top or due to the bumpy observe floor.
He responded: “Each, however I feel principally as a result of the automotive, simply one thing that is not proper. Qualifying was dangerous. Dash race was dangerous. The automotive’s simply been dangerous all weekend.
“Clearly, it is devastating to have these dangerous races within the second half of the season – however all I can say is, we’re making an attempt.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photographs
“We’re coming into the weekends, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly not acceptable. It is undoubtedly not ok and we have now to take accountability. I’ve to take accountability, however I’m doing the most effective with what I’ve bought.
“The automotive has been the worst this weekend and I do not know what it’s. We’ll have to seek out out what it’s.”
When quizzed why his automotive swings from good to dangerous a weekend at a time, Hamilton joked: “You inform me. That is the million greenback query. If you will discover it. I will offer you one million {dollars}!”