Lewis Hamilton devastated after retirement: “I feel terrible for the team”

Lewis Hamilton devastated after retirement: “I feel terrible for the team” | F1 Sao Paulo GP. Lewis Hamilton had a night to forget at the Brazil GP.

It was a late and disappointing night for Lewis Hamilton as he retired from the Brazil Grand Prix following a disastrous weekend at Interlagos. The seven-time world champion struggled to find the right balance with his Ferrari SF-25 throughout the three days of action, leaving him frustrated and disappointed. As an honorary citizen of Brazil, Lewis Hamilton returned to Maranello feeling let down and apologized to the Ferrari team for the outcome.

After poor performances in both the qualifying sessions, including the Sprint and standard qualifying, Lewis Hamilton faced further challenges at the start of the race. He was involved in contact with both Carlos Sainz and Yuki Tsunoda. Upon rejoining the track, he asked the pit wall if anything was damaged, but the team confirmed that the car appeared fine. Later, during the safety car period triggered by Bortoleto’s accident, the 40-year-old driver made a mistake and collided with Franco Colapinto’s Alpine.

The contact completely destroyed the front wing of Hamilton’s SF-25 car number 44, ending his race. Ferrari chose to keep him on track briefly in case a penalty was issued. Eventually, Hamilton received a 10-second penalty for the collision with Franco Colapinto, followed by his retirement from the race. This also marked a double retirement for Ferrari, concluding the weekend on a disappointing note.

A weekend to forget

Reflecting on the race, Lewis Hamilton said he felt something was wrong with the rear suspension after the initial impact. The team, however, reported that everything seemed fine. He explained, “There was something off, like the cross weight or something similar.”

He also highlighted a significant loss of downforce, estimating a 30 to 40-point aerodynamic deficit. “So, when I went through high-speed sections, the car was unstable. I gave everything to try to keep up with the drivers ahead, but there was no chance,” the British driver said.

Lewis Hamilton described the weekend as “definitely one to forget,” emphasizing his affection for Brazil and the effort of every Ferrari team member. “All the team members, every single person, show up every week and give their all. Not finishing a race, bringing home nothing—it’s the second time this year. It’s devastating, and I feel terrible for the team,” he added.

He concluded by addressing his qualifying performance: “I’m sorry for my result in qualifying and for putting myself in that position. We’ll wake up tomorrow and try again,” said the seven-time Formula 1 world champion.