Lewis Hamilton’s cryptic message after the Brazilian Grand Prix might now have been explained. Mercedes are said to have no doubts that Hamilton will race at the final three Grands Prix of the year after the seven-time F1 world champion confused fans over the team radio.
The 39-year-old endured a miserable weekend in Sao Paulo and could only bag his team a solitary point for his endeavours across the weekend.
Hamilton is set to head through the exit at Brackley after the season ends in Abu Dhabi in December.
He will link up with Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, with his Mercedes seat being handed to teenage sensation Kimi Antonelli.
After failing to pick up any points in Saturday’s Sprint race, Hamilton was unable to make it beyond the first qualifying session for the main event and began the Grand Prix in P16. And the veteran eventually ended the chaotic race in P10 as his Mercedes car struggled to cope with the wet conditions in South America.
After the race had ended, Hamilton said over his team radio: “That was a disaster of a weekend, guys. The worst the car has ever been. Thank you for contributing to try, and great job to all the guys at the pit-stop.
“If this is the last time I get to perform it was a shame it wasn’t great – but grateful for you.”
Mercedes were reportedly baffled by Hamilton’s comments and Sky Sports News report that they may have been aimed at team members working in Sao Paulo who will not be at the final three rounds of the season.
Silver Arrows sources have indicated that there are no doubts within the team that Hamilton will be in the car for the final three races of 2024 before he completes his switch to the Scuderia.
Hamilton has won six of his seven world titles with Mercedes after joining the team from McLaren in 2013.
But he has struggled to compete for race victories since Max Verstappen pipped him to the 2021 title following regulation changes for the 2022 season.
Following an early exit in Saturday’s Sprint qualifying session, Hamilton stated he was “not massively bothered” how the rest of the weekend went. After his underwhelming display on Sunday he then admitted he “could happily go and take a holiday”.
Hamilton will be able to take time away from the track over the next couple of weekends as F1 takes another short break. Drivers will then return to the circuit in Las Vegas later this month, before the penultimate Grand Prix of the year in Qatar and the finale in Abu Dhabi.
Verstappen looks certain to win his fourth consecutive title ahead of Lando Norris after bagging maximum points on Sunday to extend his lead at the top of the Drivers’ Championship standings to 62 points.
