Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes’ superstar driver, and seven-time world champion, has gone two seasons without a single race win. His last P1 finish came during the 2021 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, and the Silver Arrows have gone downhill ever since. The change in the car concept backfired, and the mistake of continuing with the same concept in 2023 cost them dearly.
While Mercedes narrowly secured P2 in the constructors’ championship, drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished nowhere close to Max Verstappen in the drivers’ standings. Moreover, an underwhelming weekend at the Abu Dhabi GP further put Hamilton in the spot. An F1 expert also questioned the British driver’s intent to perform better in the final round of the 2023 F1 season.
Mark Hughes Says Lewis Hamilton Looked Worn Down At Abu Dhabi!
The 2023 F1 season has been a challenging ride for Mercedes superstar Lewis Hamilton. He registered yet another winless season as the Briton failed to connect with the car W14. Even during the final race of the season, Hamilton wasn’t getting the required pace to push the card toward a podium finish. He eventually made 2 points by finishing P9. Meanwhile, F1 pundit Mark Hughes reviewed Hamilton’s performance and said the Briton lacked confidence as his car struggled with low grip and tyre temperature control issues. Having said that, Hughes also speculated if Lewis was even up for the ultimate race challenge.
The F1 pundit reckoned that with the kind of season Lewis Hamilton had endured, he must have lacked motivation in the final race of the season, knowing that it wasn’t going to make much of a difference. “But I didn’t get the feeling from Lewis this weekend that he was really up for it,” said Mark Hughes. However, the expert clarified that had the W14 been quick, Hamilton would have come alive. Regardless, Hughes found the British diver worn down and disinterested overall. Having said that, the seven-time world champion did have something to fight for, which was to attain Mercedes P2 in the constructors championship. In the end, it came down to a mere three-point difference as George Russell finished ahead of Sergio Perez to club 15 valuable points for his team.
Lewis Hamilton Reviews Mercedes’ Worst Season In Decades!
Lewis Hamilton was at a loss of words after the Abu Dhabi GP results. He said the weekend was horrible as the car lacked pace and struggled with several issues. When asked about a season review, the British driver was highly critical. He said he has nothing to take back from the season apart from the fact that he managed to survive.
Yet, Lewis is hopeful of a better year in 2024. He said Mercedes is aware of the problems related to car development and is, in fact, headed in the right direction. Still, he is keeping his expectations in check. Hamilton does not have to overload himself with a bunch of heavy expectations and is just looking ahead to the winter break.