Lewis Hamilton entered the Brazilian GP weekend with high hopes, fueled by his strong history at the Interlagos track, a place he regards as his second home. Banking on the latest updates to the W15, Hamilton hoped this would finally bring a change in his fortunes. Unfortunately, his struggles persisted, turning the entire weekend into a series of disappointments.
For a driver who has won the Brazilian GP three times, the W15’s lack of pace was frustrating. The challenges began in Sprint Qualifying, where he couldn’t progress to SQ3. Saturday’s heavy rain added to the difficulty, and despite pushing his car to the limit, he qualified only in P15. In the main race on Sunday, Hamilton again gave it his all but could only secure P10, taking home a single point. During his post-race media interaction, Hamilton didn’t hold back in criticizing the W15’s technical shortcomings. He likened the car’s suspension to a “plank of wood,” underscoring the ongoing struggles Mercedes has faced with the car’s performance.
Devastated Lewis Hamilton Explains Mercedes Struggles
Lewis Hamilton seems increasingly frustrated with Mercedes’ ongoing struggles and unwilling to continue fixing issues without major changes. In a conversation with Sky Sports, he voiced his dissatisfaction, describing the car as painfully slow. He likened the W15 to a “plank of wood,” noting the lack of suspension, which led to excessive bouncing. This caused a significant loss of power and made the car unnervingly stiff through corners. As a result, Hamilton labeled the Brazilian GP as his worst experience with Mercedes, even joking that he was ready to take an early break after such a disappointing race.
In a separate interview, Hamilton emphasized the need for accountability from both himself and the team. The second half of the season has been a series of poor results, which has taken a significant emotional toll, especially as he prepares to switch to Ferrari next season. He admitted that the situation has been “devastating,” acknowledging that both he and Mercedes need to step up and take responsibility in order to address the underlying problems.
Mercedes Facing A ‘Million Dollar Question’
Lewis Hamilton acknowledges that he’s doing everything possible to extract performance from the struggling W15, but his frustration is growing. He jokingly remarked that the car’s ongoing issues remain a “million-dollar question,” highlighting its persistent challenges on bumpy and humid tracks. While there was a brief glimmer of hope with a recovery in Silverstone, Mercedes was unable to capitalize on that momentum. Now, Hamilton is humorously offering a “million-dollar” reward to anyone who can solve the W15’s performance struggles, underscoring the team’s ongoing battle with the car’s deficiencies.