Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton reflected on his comments about not looking forward to next season, ahead of the F1 Qatar GP. When asked if he still feels the same way as when he uttered the words, the former champion stated:
“I think probably I’d be surprised if the other drivers are excited about next year at the end of a season, because usually you don’t have a lot of energy at the end of a season. You’re looking forward to time with family and stuff. That’s really it. But, I mean, look—that was just in the heat of frustration. Often, there’s a lot of frustration at the end of the races, particularly when they haven’t gone well. So, no, I’m excited to see what the team build next year and to continue to build on with them.”
Hamilton originally crossed the chequered flag in tenth, however after the double McLaren disqualification he was promoted to eighth. His struggles could be seen in Qualifying as he ended up last on the grid. As the conditions were wet, it was an interesting session with the shock of Hamilton not making it out of Q1. Despite his impressive gaining of places during the Las Vegas GP, the Brit was not satisfied with the weekend.
Passion of Tifosi not being rewarded
Despite the hardships the season has brought, Hamilton still speaks highly of the Ferrari team and especially the Tifosi. When asked about the passion of the team and the connection with the Tifosi the Ferrari driver expressed:
“Yeah. The passion is the most special thing about the brand and the people that work for it. And then the Tifosi—as we travel around the world, the amazing support that we get. I think that probably makes it even harder when we have the more difficult weekends because you can see how passionate, how dedicated, and how hard every single person is working back at the factory, and the results are not reflecting or rewarding them. So, you feel it more. It’s a big emotional bubble that’s quite precious.”
Head-to-head with Leclerc
It has been a rough year for the seven-time World Champion as his struggles at Ferrari have been prominent throughout the season. Hamilton currently sits sixth in the Drivers’ Standings with 148 points. His teammate, Charles Leclerc, sits ahead of him in fifth with 74 more points to his name. In Grand Prix qualifying, he is 5-17 down.
Ahead of the F1 Qatar GP, Lewis Hamilton was asked if he is concerned about the difference in results with Leclerc and if he is confident he can outperform him next year.
“I’m not concerned about it. No. Of course, I’ve just been focusing on my side during this period. Obviously, Charles has done a great job. He’s been there for seven years. He’s got a team around him that he’s worked with for many years. So, it’s a well-oiled machine. On my side, it’s a new group of people.
“For me, it’s a new environment that I’m still getting used to working with. Then I had another new member halfway through the year. So, we’re all working as hard as we can, but getting that to work as well as someone that’s had it for several years is not—you don’t just do it like that. It takes a bit of time.”
While Hamilton is still settling in at Ferrari, Leclerc has been showing impressive skills, despite the struggles of the SF-25. The Monegasque has grabbed seven podiums this season, while the Brit still hunts for his first podium in red.
