Hamilton Reflects on “Bumpiest Ride Ever” After S…read more
Lewis Hamilton described his performance at the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix as the “bumpiest ride ever” after managing to secure a solitary point from a difficult weekend. The Mercedes driver endured a challenging race at the Interlagos circuit, battling through a series of setbacks, yet still managed to finish in the points following a gritty performance.
The race weekend had already been fraught with difficulties for the seven-time world champion. Throughout Friday and Saturday, Hamilton struggled to find the right balance in his car, unable to match the pace set by the frontrunners. Mercedes’ continued battle with tire management and aerodynamics has been a persistent issue for much of the 2024 season, and those problems resurfaced in Brazil.
Hamilton, who is used to competing for victories, found himself far off the pace during qualifying. He was forced to start the race from a midfield position, which proved to be a significant disadvantage in the tight, often chaotic nature of the Sao Paulo GP. “This has been the most difficult weekend of the year for me, by far,” Hamilton admitted after the race. “The car wasn’t where we needed it to be all weekend, and it felt like I was fighting the car every lap. It’s definitely been the bumpiest ride I’ve ever had.”
The race itself was no less demanding. Hamilton was forced to navigate through traffic for much of the 71-lap race, with constant battles for track position. A series of early race incidents further compounded his struggles, as multiple safety car periods and on-track collisions disrupted the flow of the race. Despite these challenges, Hamilton remained determined and focused, slowly making his way up the standings as others fell by the wayside.
One of the most notable moments of Hamilton’s race came in the final stages, where he was able to salvage a point by finishing in 10th place. The result was far from the podium finishes Hamilton is accustomed to, but he was still able to extract the maximum from a weekend that had initially promised little. “I just kept my head down, kept pushing, and tried to make the best of it,” he said. “It wasn’t easy, but getting that point feels like a small victory considering how tough the weekend was.”
Mercedes’ struggles with performance were evident throughout the weekend, as their cars were unable to match the pace of Red Bull and Ferrari. The team’s focus remains on extracting more from their car as they look toward the final races of the season and the 2025 campaign. Hamilton, who has already expressed frustration with his team’s lack of progress in recent months, acknowledged that the season had not gone as planned, but he remains committed to the cause.
“We’ve had a lot of ups and downs this year,” Hamilton reflected. “The car’s not where we want it to be, but we’re working hard every day to improve it. We’ve got some work ahead of us, but I’ll keep pushing until the end.”
With the Sao Paulo GP now behind him, Hamilton is already looking ahead to the final two races of the season, where he will be hoping for a more competitive performance. While a solitary point may not have been the result he had hoped for, Hamilton’s determination and resilience once again shone through in a race that tested him to his limits. As the season draws to a close, it is clear that Hamilton’s hunger for success remains as strong as ever.
