Lewis Hamilton has described the Spanish Grand Prix as “the worst race I’ve skilled” after ending sixth within the System 1 contest at Barcelona.
The seven-time world champion was in a particularly downbeat temper, having crossed the road two spots decrease than he began earlier than gaining a place post-race resulting from Max Verstappen’s 10s penalty.
This was regardless of an excellent begin from Hamilton, who took fourth from George Russell at Flip 1 however subsequently struggled for tempo till the tip.
On lap 10 he was instructed by Ferrari to let his quicker team-mate Charles Leclerc overtake, earlier than Hamilton dropped to seventh behind each Mercedes vehicles by way of the pitstop cycle.
Though Hamilton ultimately regained sixth resulting from Andrea Kimi Antonelli retiring late on, he dropped to seventh once more after Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg moved by alongside the start-finish straight throughout the penultimate lap.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Photograph by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Photos by way of Getty Photos
Hamilton was due to this fact in no temper to speak afterwards and delivered a really brief interview within the media pen, which went as follows:
Q: “Tough, tough afternoon for you, and then you definitely acquired caught on used tyres on the finish. I assume you had been a little bit of a sitting duck there. A bit irritating, wasn’t it?”
Hamilton: “Everybody was on the identical tyres.”
Q: “The place was the tempo, although? You had been speaking about no rear grip from pretty early on, and that was the entire story, was it?”
Hamilton: “It naturally is.”
Q: “I do not assume you had been in a position to hold the hole. Does the automotive really feel higher at any stage of the race, or is it simply the others?”
Hamilton: “I do not know why you’d say that.”
Q: “Not one single clue. With all of your expertise.”
Hamilton: “It is the worst race I’ve skilled.”
Q: “Any positives you may extract for the weekend. So what is the plan between now and Canada? What are you going to have a look at, work on with the group, simulate it?”
Hamilton: “I am occurring it.”
Q: “So the place do you go from right here?”
Hamilton: “Dwelling.”
Leclerc, who began in seventh, was in a extra upbeat temper after snatching a podium late on, having overtaken Verstappen on the lap 61 security automotive restart.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing
Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photos
It means Leclerc has claimed consecutive podium finishes after coming second in Monaco final weekend, however mentioned his third in Barcelona is extra satisfying because it got here as extra of a shock.
“It’s not like I am over the moon for a second or third place,” mentioned Leclerc, who’s fifth within the championship and 23 factors forward of sixth-placed Hamilton.
“Nevertheless it nonetheless feels good as a result of coming to the weekend, I didn’t count on that. In Monaco, the frustration was massive as a result of in FP1, FP2, FP3, we had been very robust. It was not the case right here, so we weren’t robust in FP1, FP2, FP3 or qualifying.
Learn Additionally:
“However I knew I had sacrificed high quality yesterday as a way to be robust within the race at present, and it appears to repay with somewhat little bit of luck as nicely giving us the rostrum. So on that, it is a good shock.
“And I am very completely happy about our weekend, however I am not completely happy about our total efficiency. And on that, we have to do a step quickly.”
Images from Spanish GP – Race
On this article
Ed Hardy
System 1
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
Be the primary to know and subscribe for real-time information electronic mail updates on these subjects
Subscribe to information alerts
