Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff described their car as “undriveable” and said that Lewis Hamilton “deserves better from us” after the seven-time world champion could only finish 13th in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Wolff apologised to Hamilton on team radio at the end of the race. Team-mate George Russell did manage to finish fourth after a superb start.
Hamilton said it was a “weekend to forget” and that he “just wasn’t fast enough to overtake” at Imola. To add insult to injury, he was lapped by race winner Max Verstappen in the Red Bull. He also reiterated that he was no longer fighting for the drivers’ title, saying: “I am out of the championship, for sure. There’s no question about that.” Hamilton said the one bonus for the team was fellow Briton Russell’s climb through the field after starting 11th – although he apologised for not also getting into the points.
“Everyone is feeling it and everyone is head down, trying their best,” he added. “There’s no-one that’s giving up and everyone is just trying to move forward as fast as they can.” Formula 1 heads to the United States next for the inaugural Miami Grand Prix, from 6-8 May.