F1 pundit Mark Hughes has claimed that he doesn’t see “any fire” in Lewis Hamilton amid an underwhelming first season with Ferrari. The journalist also compared the seven-time world champion to a hibernating animal, waiting for things to get better around him.
Lewis Hamilton suffered yet another disastrous outing during the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday, which ended with his retirement from the race. The 40-year-old was involved in multiple incidents right at the start, causing damage to the front wing and floor of his SF-25. He also received a five-second penalty for a collision with Franco Colapinto before the Ferrari team eventually asked him to park the car.
Hamilton described his race in Brazil as a “nightmare.”
Speaking on The Race F1 Podcast on Monday, journalist and pundit Mark Hughes said Hamilton seems to be “despondent” at the moment. He explained that the Briton appears to be waiting for things to improve at Ferrari.
“He said he still has a belief, he thinks it’s his destiny, I think he used the word destiny, that he’s going to do something extraordinary with this chapter in his career. And you can imagine how he sees that and how glorious it will be in his mind if he comes out of this when everybody’s written him off to come back and win again,” Hughes said (30:00 onwards).
“But it looks like he’s just enduring at the moment, almost like a hibernating animal. He’s just waiting for the situation to get better but I don’t see any fire in him at the moment,” he added.
Lewis Hamilton currently sits sixth in the drivers’ standings with 148 points. Rookie Kimi Antonelli closed the gap significantly at the Brazilian GP, now just 26 points behind Hamilton after his career-best P2 finish. Antonelli is the driver who replaced Hamilton at Mercedes.
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**Lewis Hamilton reflects on his “weekend to forget” at the Brazilian GP**
Hamilton admitted the Brazilian GP weekend was one to forget for both himself and the Ferrari team. The veteran also expressed sympathy for everyone on the Italian squad, especially following their double DNF at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace.
Speaking to the media after the race on Sunday, Hamilton shared his honest thoughts about a tough weekend in São Paulo.
“This is definitely a weekend to forget. It’s a shame because I love Brazil and everyone in the team,” he said.
“To come away with nothing, to not finish a race for the second time this year, it’s really devastating. I feel terrible for the team. I’m sorry for my part in qualifying, putting myself in that position. We’ll get back up tomorrow and just give it another go,” he added.
Hamilton qualified 11th for the sprint but recovered well to finish seventh. However, another disappointing qualifying left him 13th on the grid for Sunday’s race, where a series of incidents hampered his progress through the field and eventually forced his retirement.
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**Current Standings**
– Lewis Hamilton: 6th in drivers’ standings with 148 points
– Kimi Antonelli: Just 26 points behind Hamilton after his impressive P2 finish in Brazil
The 2024 season continues to be challenging for Hamilton as he seeks to find his rhythm in the Ferrari cockpit, aiming to reignite the fire that made him a seven-time world champion.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/f1/news-i-see-fire-him-f1-pundit-s-humbling-verdict-lewis-hamilton-s-form-ferrari
