Mercedes enjoyed a dream Sunday in Las Vegas, securing a stunning one-two finish. However, in the Brackley garage, there was also someone who could feel a bit frustrated. When you’re a seven-time world champion like Lewis Hamilton, that’s inevitable—and understandable.
Hamilton delivered a remarkable comeback, climbing from tenth on the grid to finish second, behind the W15 of teammate George Russell, who led the race from start to finish after taking pole position. However, the pace Hamilton showed during the race inevitably sparked some regrets about the qualifying mistakes that placed him on the fifth row. Starting further up the grid and battling his teammate from the outset could have led to a very different outcome—or so Hamilton believes.
“First of all, I want to congratulate Max on winning the championship, which he secured even with two races still to go. If I had done my job yesterday, today would have been a walk in the park, but it’s okay,” Lewis Hamilton said immediately after the race, speaking to former teammate Jenson Button and actor Terry Crews.
“I had fun starting from the back, from 10th position, and the team did a fantastic job. We don’t know why we were so fast this weekend, but our car has never been this quick. I’m grateful to have contributed to bringing it to this level,” he added at the end of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
When asked whether the Nevada desert climate made Mercedes so competitive, Lewis Hamilton explained further: “It’s not the climate. It’s just that the race is very late. You go to bed at 5 a.m., wake up very late, and start when the sun is already down. This has a big impact on the rhythm and makes everything quite challenging. But otherwise, it’s true that it’s cold. Maybe the reason we did so well is indeed the cold, because when we race in hot climates, we always struggle more.”
“In any case, if the car performs like this in the next two races, I think we’ll be able to challenge the frontrunners. The championship is now over, so it’s just about fighting for the best positions possible,” he concluded, expressing optimism for the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix, which will close the season in the coming two weeks.
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