Formula 1: “The worst start to the season I have ever had,” laments Hamilton

The races follow one another and are similar for Lewis Hamilton with Mercedes. Forced to retire after just 17 laps due to an engine failure, the Briton is only in 9th place in the World Championship after three meetings. The seven-time champion, who will leave the German manufacturer to join the ranks of Scuderia Ferrari next season, was inevitably disappointed at the end of the weekend.

“This is the worst start to the season I have ever had. It’s worse than 2009,” he admitted, aware that this year will still be difficult for him even though he hoped it would be synonymous with a rebound. “It's hard on the minds of everyone on the team when so much work has been done over the winter. You arrive excited, motivated and motivated, with the mindset that you are going to fight for victories, then that is not the case,” added the Briton who no longer even thinks about victory: “Then, you think, 'Okay, maybe second or third,' and it's not and it trickles down a little bit and you go through the motions."

Formula 1: on video, George Russell's impressive crash on the penultimate lap

But Hamilton is not the type to give up quickly. He assures that his commitment with Mercedes will be complete until the end of the championship before joining the Italian camp. "It's a challenge. I continue to be inspired by the people I have worked with and I continue to strive and be present. This is the most important thing,” concluded Hamilton (39), who has not won a race since December 2021.