Formula 1

“Qualifying has been my weakness for, and I can’t figure it out” : Lewis Hamilton ‘furious’ after qualifying issues continue ahead at the Italian GP Qualifying has been a major crisis for the seven-time world champion this season, as Lewis Hamilton has been unable to capture pole position, with his best qualifying run coming at Silverstone where he started second. This issue occurred once again at the Italian GP, where the Briton failed to get into pole positions or even the first row. Lewis Hamilton had a good start as he topped the first two out of the three practice sessions, but failed to capitalize on it. The 39-year-old will now be starting at sixth, alongside Ferrari star Carlos Sainz on the third row at Monza. Meanwhile, his teammate George Russell got the upper hand once again, making it 12 out of the 16 times the 26-year-old will be starting ahead of the legendary driver. While lately, the Silver Arrows have been on a good run after a long time, the Briton has stayed heavily inconsistent in terms of qualifying throughout the season, which has costed him quite a few races as well. But Lewis Hamilton has always remained honest with himself, and described it was his own failure that out himself in this position, and that the crew have been doing a great job over the car. Lewis Hamilton admits major flaw The Briton was ‘absolutely furious’ with himself following his qualifying performance, as the difference of 0.186 seconds saw him not receive pole position. In an interview with Sky Sports, the 39-year-old addressed his mistakes. “Absolutely furious. I could have been on pole, I could have been at least on the front row. I didn’t do the job in the end. I lost a tenth and a half into Turn 1 and 2 and then I lost another tenth at the last corner. No one to blame but myself. Qualifying has been my weakness for a minute now and I can’t figure it out. I’ll keep trying.” said a disappointed Lewis Hamilton post-qualification. “Probably a little bit of kicking myself over the next couple of hours. Ultimately I’ve got to move forwards. We have a good race car, the team have done an amazing job this weekend,” the Briton added. The only positive words Lewis Hamilton was able to come up with was about the team’s performance and how they deserve better, which led to him addressing that his replacement for next season, Kimi Antonelli might do a better job. “The car has been feeling much better than the last race and the team deserve better. Maybe they’ll get that with Kimi [Antonelli],” said the 39-year-old.  Talking about his chances on Sunday for a Grand Prix victory, the Briton believes there is no hope of that left anymore, but he will try to challenge and fight for a podium finish.  “The chance of fighting for a race win is out the window and tomorrow I’ve got to try and recover as much as I can and see if I can get past the Ferraris and try challenging and get to a podium,” Hamilton explained. After two disappointing qualification sessions at the Dutch and Italian GP, the seven-time world champion will just have to firmly move forward while working on his weaknesses. With eight more races left after the Italian GP, the season is still wide open for the Briton to make an immense comeback. Also Read: “There are no bad feelings, and there is no betrayal” : Toto Wolff on Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari

“That’s literally inviting him to leave” : F1 Pundit suggests Lewis Hamilton was ‘forced’ out of Mercedes After being with the AMG Petronas for over a decade, Lewis Hamilton is finally about to embark on an iconic journey very late in his career, after shocking the world with his move to Scuderia Ferrari. But the key details behind the curtain as to how this transfer happened were anything but smooth. With the Briton’s contract on the verge of expiring, Mercedes initially offered him a year’s contract but eventually settled for a 1+1, which means the 39-year-old had the option to extend. Seeing this, the Italian team took advantage of the situation and offered Hamilton a multi-year contract, something which Mercedes were unable to match and an offer which the Briton could ultimately not refuse. Lewis Hamilton would have liked to stay at Mercedes, but after viewing the offers, he basically had no choice but to move on to the Reds. This decision backfired on the Silver Arrows as fans and pundits alike hugely criticized their failure for not being able to keep the greatest F1 driver of all time, who most likely would have ended his professional career with them. “It’s a bit of a slap in the face” : Will Buxton on Mercedes’ inefficient management regarding Hamilton’s contract Recently, British motorsport journalist and presenter Will Buxton addressed the issue regarding the Briton’s contract, and called out the Silver Arrows for their novice and miscalculated approach of dealing with Lewis Hamilton. “Mercedes wanted Antonelli. If they didn’t want Antonelli, they’d have given Lewis a two-year contract. How do you give a seven-time world champion a 1 + 1 ? That’s literally inviting him to leave. It’s a bit of a slap in the face ya know…,” said the 43-year-old (via DRS: De Racing Show). Buxton also praised the Italian team for signing the Briton ahead of Mercedes’ unfortunate loss, and did not let Toto Wolff’s decision hamper this significant achievement. “The greatest driver in history moving to statistically the greatest team in history…what a moment, what a story.” Buxton added. Mercedes will obviously miss the presence of Lewis Hamilton in every way possible, as the Briton has spent the prime of his career with them, winning six world titles to show for it. Not to mention, financially the AMG Petronas might go on a bit of a downwards spiral as well. But for Lewis Hamilton, a special start to his special career is about to start soon. Also Read: List of Armand Duplantis World Records – How much does the Swede pole vaulter earn for breaking his own world record?

“I would have finished higher” : Lewis Hamilton Lewis Hamilton rues missed chances at Dutch GP The seven-time world champion had an off Dutch Grand Prix, as he was surprisingly eliminated in the Q2 itself. While the Briton had an impressive recovery drive in Zandvoort after receiving a three-place grid drop for impeding Red Bulls’ Sergio Perez in Q1, it was ultimately not enough. The Briton began the race from position 15th instead of 12th, which already got him frustrated ahead of Q2, and revealed that he had already accepted defeat. “It just went downhill like a domino effect from the moment with Checo [Perez], then the balance just got more and more snappy, more and more ‘oversteery’ – it was terrible.” Lewis Hamilton before being hit with the grid penalty. “It’s definitely very, very frustrating, naturally, but it is what it is. It’s kind of the weekend done, and I’ll have to move on to next week [at Monza].” the Briton added. The 39-year-old started off on the soft tyre to make up early ground, and then switched back to the hard ones, before taking another set of softs during pit stop. Hamilton also almost caught on his fellow teammate George Russell, but in the end had to settle for an unfortunate eighth position. “We planned to do a two stop and started on the soft, it was a very good tyre, the soft tyre felt better than the medium tyre on practice day. The hard tyre was fairly decent, it was really difficult to see what I needed to do whether to push – I was on a two – so trying to use up the tyre but wasn’t sure whether or not we might go for a one.” the veteran explained. “I had a bit of a lock up which meant I had to stay on my strategy. Probably if I’d have done one stop I might have managed it a bit better, maybe finish one place ahead,” Hamilton added. Lewis Hamilton blames his qualification error for poor weekend After receiving the penalty for impeding Sergio Perez, the Briton did not give up and had some pretty strong runs which helped him get back up to the eighth spot. He was often the fastest driver on track and also revealed his recovery drive to be ‘fun’. “If I just qualified like I should’ve qualified and if I didn’t have a problem in qualifying, then yeah [I would have finished higher], I think I had the pace today to easily, definitely [finish] in the top 5. If I started fourth for example then I would’ve finished at least fourth.” The 39-year-old told the media present at the track. After a harsh yet disappointing race where the veteran showed a lot of promise, he will have to move on and display his recently improved performances with the resurged AMG Petronas next week in the Italian Grand Prix held in Monza, in the hope to bounce back to pole positions. Also Read: “Rwanda is one of my favorite places I’ve been to” : Lewis Hamilton proposes a new circuit for F1 Grand Prix

“Rwanda is one of my favorite places I’ve been to” : Lewis Hamilton proposes a new circuit for F1 Grand Prix Throughout the seven-time world champion’s illustrious career, he has been a vocal advocate for his support to Africa, and the longing to reconnect with his African roots. Lewis Hamilton often takes trips to Africa which reflects his interests outside the world of F1, such as his deep understanding for the sustainability of the environment. Africa has had a rich history of motorsport, and the Briton has been doing the needful and being the voice of reason to bring the F1 back there as soon as possible. Lewis Hamilton has also mainly mentioned South Africa to be the first host of an African Grand Prix in the near future. Most recently, Rwanda has expressed the desire to the F1 officials on hosting the first African Grand Prix after more than three decades. The official meeting will take place in September, as this can be a huge turning point in African motorsport history. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has also mentioned for it to be a ‘good plan’. Lewis Hamilton expresses his thoughts over potential Grand Prix in Africa ahead of the Dutch GP It is no secret that Lewis Hamilton has a multifaceted connection to Africa, from his personal heritage and conservational efforts to social justice and equality. The Briton once again expressed his desire about hosting a Grand Prix in Africa, ahead of the upcoming Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. “We can’t be adding races in other locations and continue to ignore Africa, which the rest of the world takes from — no one gives anything to Africa. “I think having a Grand Prix there would really highlight how great the place is and bring in tourism … so why are we not on that continent? The current excuse is maybe there’s not a track that is ready, but there is at least one track that’s ready,” said the 39-year-old (via ESPN). Lewis Hamilton also mentioned his love and respect for Rwanda, a place where he has often visited to promote environmental activism and conservation initiatives. The Briton’s efforts are widely covered by the media and draws more attention to the matter, leading to increased fan engagement. “Rwanda is one of my favourite places I’ve been to. I’ve been doing a lot of work in the background and spoken to people in Rwanda and South Africa. That’s a long project, but it’s amazing that they’re so keen to get it,” said the Briton. The last African Grand Prix was held in South Africa at the Kyalami Circuit in 1993. Although F1 has denied all rumors of an African Grand Prix for the current season, the officials have made it a ‘key target’ for a race to be held in the African continent. It can most certainly be a matter of time as to when the F1 will return to Africa, with Rwanda being the frontrunners. Also Read: “It’s going to be one hell of a second half of the season” : Lewis Hamilton has high hopes for the remainder of the year

“I don’t know how much longer I can go” : Lewis Hamilton plans on his F1 retirement It will be one of the saddest days for fans and the F1 when Sir Lewis Hamilton finally retires from the sport. The Briton has been in the Formula scene for over 17 years now, but admits that the end is near. But the 39-year-old has not shown any immediate signs of stopping. After two rough years with Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton along with his partner George Russell have shown resilience and vastly improved their performances, with the Briton clinching two grand prix victories already this season. The greatest F1 driver of all time, as widely considered, also broke the internet this year by signing with the Italian team Scuderia Ferrari and fulfilling his childhood dream of wearing the red uniform. Although he signed a lucrative multi-year deal with them, the Briton will be 40 by the time next season rolls up, and the thoughts of retirement are well considered. “I want to make sure I really max it out” : Lewis Hamilton’s reveals strategy for the final stretch of his career The seven-time world champion and fifth-longest-serving driver in F1 history reveals that he does have a plan for retirement and has also talked with many former rivals and friends about it, but for now remains determined to have a strong start with Ferrari next season. In a recent interview with US magazine Esquire, the Briton talked about many things and answered plenty of questions, from working with Brad Pitt for the latest F1 movie, pre-match rituals to his eventual retirement scene. “There are days I’m like, ‘shoot, I don’t know how much longer I can go’. There are days I’m like, ‘shoot, I’d love a break’ because you don’t get a real big break in the season like other sports. You’re not really getting a huge amount of downtime. But I do have, mentally, a plan of where I would like to extend to. I’ve just got to strategize and sequence things. Is there a time when I’m not all in, and I’m just not in love with it anymore?” said Hamilton. “That’s the moment that hopefully never happens, in the sense that I’ve fallen out of love with it. But I will know when I need to stop. I want to make sure I really max it out while I can and fully enjoy this sport I’ve done my whole life,” the Briton added. Lewis Hamilton also said it is tougher to stay fit and compete with drivers who are in their twenties and in the essential prime of their career. But despite approaching his 40s, the Briton still has a sense of responsibility on his shoulders and vows to continue his excellent form this season for a dream start at Ferrari, potentially notching another world title in the final chapter of his career. Also Read: “It’s going to be one hell of a second half of the season” : Lewis Hamilton has high hopes for the remainder of the year

“When I’m putting the helmet on, then there’s none of this any more” : Charles Leclerc on showing mercy to new teammate Lewis Hamilton next season Lewis Hamilton made a surprising decision to move to Ferrari at the end of the current F1 season. This decision comes after spending almost a decade at Mercedes, where Lewis Hamilton clinched six of his seven world championship titles. Lewis Hamilton will now team up with one of the most promising drivers on the grid, Charles Leclerc. The Monaco based driver admitted that he was a huge admirer of the Briton while growing up, and it will be a terrific opportunity to race alongside him. He looks forward to learning from his teammate Lewis Hamilton. Moreover, he stated that it would also help him become more competitive by racing alongside the seven-time F1 champion. It will test Leclerc’s mettle and force Hamilton to demonstrate how much he’s got left in the tank. “It’s going to be incredible to have Lewis on the team,” Lecerc told The Gentleman’s Journal. “And, obviously, to be able to have such an incredible champion in the same team as me, with the same car. First, it’s going to be a great opportunity to learn from one of the best ever.” “And second, I think it is going to be an amazing opportunity, also, for me to be able to show what I’m capable of, so I’m really looking forward to it. By being on karting tracks every weekend growing up, it was difficult for me to actually follow a Formula 1 season, so I used to watch some races and he was definitely one of the guys that I looked up to,” said Leclerc. Charles Leclerc comments on driving alongside Lewis Hamilton next season Charles Leclerc was asked if he would show some mercy to Lewis Hamilton next season, given that it would be first season at Ferrari. The Monaco based driver clearly stated that he would treat him as a competitor, and he will not be influenced by his admiration for the seven-time F1 champion. “No, of course not. No, no, no – when I’m putting the helmet on, then there’s none of this any more,” said Leclerc. “You change, you don’t think about who is who and you just go for it. Now I’m racing Lewis, so I’ve got to forget a little bit the names that are inside the paddock, and just focus on my own performance whenever I’m on track,” he added. Lewis Hamilton has been in terrific form over the past couple of weeks leading up to the summer break. The Mercedes driver claimed the race win on his home turf in Silverstone in July. He also won the Belgian GP, after his teammate George Russell was disqualified due to breaching car weight rules. Also Read: “It’s going to be one hell of a second half of the season” : Lewis Hamilton has high hopes for the remainder of the year

“It’s going to be one hell of a second half of the season” : Lewis Hamilton has high hopes for the remainder of the year The 2024 F1 season has been one for the ages, due to its highly competitive nature till now, as seven different drivers have already won a Grand Prix. The top four teams – Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes in the constructor’s standings have been battling it out, and with 10 scheduled races left for the season, nothing can be ruled out just yet. Max Verstappen has continued his dominance from past seasons as Red Bull has maintained a strong lead going into the second half. Meanwhile, Lando Norris is leading the charge as a standout performer for McLaren and the duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are not far off their tails.   F1 veteran Lewis Hamilton himself is excited for the rest of the season and is impressed by the competition he has been facing, but seeing that it is his last stint at Mercedes, the Briton would like to leave on a high note. “It’s really fantastic, I think, for the sport, to be having such close teams and drivers, the pedigree of drivers at the top today are really elite and amazing,” said Lewis Hamilton (via Formula 1). “It would be high hopes” : Lewis Hamilton on having a late title charge Mercedes have gradually improved throughout the course of the season, but the Briton did not expect to compete with the top challengers. He believes that the hopes for a title charge are a little too late now, although if they can keep up with their recent form they can certainly aim for a better finish. “We didn’t expect to be competing with the McLarens or the Red Bulls at this point in the season, you know, with how we started off, so for us to now have closed up and be… It’s going to be one hell of a second half of the season, for sure.” said the Briton. “I mean, if we can continue this kind of performance as we’ve had the last few races, which has been fantastic… I think if we can start our weekends off a little bit better, hopefully we can continue. I think, obviously, the McLaren was very strong [in Belgium], we were just a bit further ahead early on [in the race], but yeah, we’ve just got to keep pushing,” the 39-year-old added. Lewis Hamilton’s teammate George Russell believes that the late resurgence of Mercedes will lead them to perform better in the next season. The promising young talent has often been considered as a future World Championship contender, with his growing experience an important asset for Mercedes to extract from going into the 2025 season. Russell will definitely be the main man for the AMG Petronas once Hamilton leaves for Ferrari. “I think for all of us, it’s been a difficult couple of years getting the car into a place where we can consistently fight for victories, but I’m so motivated, so excited for the second half of the season, which is ultimately building up towards 2025, when you look at the competition now, you know, there’s no reason why we can’t fight, and if the season started in Montreal, the championship standings would be looking very, very different,” said the 26-year-old. “It’s going to be great. I think there’s so much motivation from all the other teams to get back to the front, from McLaren, from Ferrari, from ourselves, so for sure, it’s not going to be easy, and hopefully we see a good fight on our hands into next year,” Russell concluded. F1 fans are surely in for a ride for the second half of the season, as all roads lead to a competitive and exciting finish. Also Read: “It is not impossible” : Lewis Hamilton on Lando Norris challenging Max Verstappen for the F1 title