Lewis Hamilton described his debut marketing campaign at Ferrari as “the worst season ever” after one other disappointing weekend on the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The seven-time world champion, who has been racing in System 1 since 2007, is about to complete a yr and not using a Grand Prix podium end for the primary time; a significant disappointment after his high-profile change from Mercedes to Ferrari.
He certified useless final for the Las Vegas Grand Prix after posting the slowest time in a rain-hit Q1 on Saturday and he recovered to complete the race in tenth, a place which was upgraded to eighth after each McLarens have been disqualified.
However the factors end supplied little solace to a disconsolate Hamilton.
“I feel terrible,” he informed Sky Sports activities F1 instantly after the race.
“It has been the worst season ever and regardless of how a lot I strive, it simply retains getting worse.
“I’m trying everything in and out of the car.”
When questioned by reporters he later insisted he took “zero” satisfaction from the race and insisted there have been “no” positives he may take.
Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc completed sixth – later upgraded to fourth following the McLaren verdict – and Hamilton was not even excited concerning the battle for second within the Constructors’ Championship with Pink Bull and Mercedes.
“I don’t even know how many points we have, but at this rate, with my performance, we’re done,” he mentioned.
‘A horrible ultimate few laps’
After changing into the primary Ferrari driver to qualify final since 2009, Hamilton began the race on arduous tyres and had climbed to twelfth by the third lap.
However he pitted sooner than deliberate for medium tyres and struggled to handle his tyres for a lot of the race.
Sky Sports activities F1’s Bernie Collins believes the tyre points have been the principle cause for Hamilton’s temper.
“It was always going to be a tough race from P19, but the Ferrari did look strong in the dry on Saturday,” she mentioned.
“He had a very good first stint on the hard tyre. They ran a very long stint and looked quite good and attempted to undercut Nico Hulkenberg – who Ferrari should easily be able to have the pace on – and the medium tyre just went from bad to worse.
“The preliminary laps on the medium have been sluggish and Hulkenberg protected the undercut, so Hamilton was behind once more.
“Then in the final stint on the medium he was dropping from Hulkenberg. Something has gone wrong on that medium stint for Lewis and Ferrari.
“That is why he is so deflated. He is obtained out of the automobile not difficult and had a horrible ultimate few laps.
“That’s his lasting memory of that race and something they need to look at urgently.”
‘A troublesome second for his profession’
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Hamilton had completed fourth within the earlier race within the USA in October, a place he has completed on 4 events this season, however he can not end within the high 5 of the drivers’ standings after a collection of poor outcomes.
His former team-mate Jenson Button hopes that the current downturn is a blip, however admitted this is likely one of the hardest spells in Hamilton’s unimaginable profession.
“I feel Lewis has carried himself really well this year,” Button informed Sky Sports activities F1.
“It’s been a very difficult season for someone of his calibre. He’s carried himself so well.
“It is the primary time I really feel we have actually seen him critically deflated.
“It gets to you. Mentally it’s draining when you have a few bad races.
“It felt prefer it was on the up and this could be one dangerous race. It could be again for the subsequent one – and I hope so.
“If he has a bad race he’s very good at turning it around at the next one.
“It will not weigh on him after this weekend however it’s a tricky second for his profession proper now.”
F1’s season-ending triple header continues with the Qatar Grand Prix Sprint weekend live on Sky Sports F1 this coming week. Stream Sky Sports activities with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
