F1 News: Lewis Hamilton Miserable Going Into Brazilian Grand Prix - "Will Be A Long Afternoon"

The Mercedes team is set to re-evaluate their setup after a sprint race that brought unexpected challenges to the forefront

The Mercedes team encountered a challenging F1 Sprint at the São Paulo Grand Prix, with tyre degradation thwarting an initially strong performance. Lewis Hamilton, in particular, expressed his difficulties in handling the car, citing an unexpected struggle with balance.

Key Takeaways:

• George Russell and Lewis Hamilton started promisingly but were hindered by tyre wear, finishing fourth and seventh respectively in the F1 Sprint at Interlagos.
• After gaining positions early on, both Mercedes drivers lost ground due to DRS-enabled overtakes by competitors and struggled with tyre management.
• Lewis Hamilton provided an insightful but concerning quote on the race's difficulties and the team's need for setup changes ahead of Sunday's main event.

As the Mercedes team took to the iconic Interlagos circuit for the F1 Sprint, their drivers showed initial promise with an aggressive start that positioned them favourably. However, the sprint evolved into a tale of two halves for the Silver Arrows, as tyre wear became a defining factor in their performance.

Lewis Hamilton provided an in-depth reflection on the difficulties he faced during the race. His statement painted a vivid picture of the struggle:

"That was not an enjoyable race. We made a good start and managed to gain a position on Sergio Perez. After that though, we really struggled with the balance. We had a lot of understeer, then snap oversteer, and I was fighting the car from very early on."

The seven-time world champion’s remarks continued to outline the critical issues experienced as the race progressed:

"By the closing stages, I had run out of grip on the tyres, and I can only assume that we got the setup wrong."

With the tyre degradation impacting their race pace, Russell managed to clinch fourth, while Hamilton's issues relegated him to seventh by the sprint's end. Despite the setback, Hamilton's competitive spirit remained undeterred, and he looked ahead to the challenges of the Grand Prix:

"We will need to find a way to make some changes for tomorrow. I suspect it will be a long afternoon if we aren't able to make improvements. I will of course be fighting as hard as I can, and trying to manage the tyres a bit better than we were able to today."

Russell and Hamilton will start from P5 and P6, respectively, in the Grand Prix, with the team keen to analyse the Sprint's data. The quest to optimise tyre performance and car setup will be pivotal in their strategy for Sunday's race.