Hamilton's 'Worst Season Ever' Culminates in Disappointing Las Vegas GP

Lewis Hamilton candidly described his season with Ferrari as the “worst ever” following a dismal 10th-place finish at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Despite his efforts, the seven-time world champion feels his performance continues to decline, highlighting a frustrating period for the British driver.

Why it matters:

Hamilton's move to Ferrari was anticipated to re-energize his career and the team's championship aspirations. However, his current struggles, as evidenced by his strong comments, underscore significant underlying issues within his performance and potentially the car's setup, raising questions about the future trajectory of this high-profile partnership.

The details:

• Disappointing Finish: Hamilton finished 10th at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, a result he found particularly disheartening.
• Personal Assessment: He openly stated, “It's been the worst season ever, and no matter how much I try, it keeps getting worse.” This follows earlier self-critical remarks, including calling himself 'useless' after failing to advance in qualifying at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
• Qualifying Struggles: His difficulties in Las Vegas began in qualifying, where he failed to progress past Q1, starting last on the grid.
• Race Progress Halted: Despite an initial recovery drive in the main race, he got stuck behind Nico Hulkenberg, unable to improve past 10th position by the checkered flag.
• Consistent Underperformance: This performance is part of a pattern of struggles for Hamilton this season, marked by uncharacteristic qualifying exits and finishes outside his usual top-tier expectations.

The big picture:

Hamilton's current form with Ferrari is a stark contrast to his illustrious career. While a single season doesn't define a champion, the persistent struggles and his vocal frustration suggest deeper challenges. Both Hamilton and Ferrari are under immense pressure to turn this around, especially given the high expectations placed on this partnership to deliver championship contention.

What's next:

As the season progresses, all eyes will be on how Hamilton and Ferrari address these performance issues. The team's strategies for car development and Hamilton's approach to the remaining races will be crucial in determining if they can salvage any pride from what has been, by his own admission, a profoundly challenging year. The focus will undoubtedly shift to next season's preparations to try and rectify these current setbacks.