Lewis Hamilton hits new F1 low after Miami as UK has new star

lewis hamilton, mercedes, chinese grand prix, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

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Hamilton hits new F1 low after Miami as UK has new star

The British national anthem played out in F1 for the first time in over a year - but not for Sir Lewis Hamilton

Originally written by Jim Kimberley. This version is a translation.

Thursday 9 May 2024 16:00

As Lando Norris basks in the glory of his first Formula 1 victory, the sun continues setting on another British driver's successes.

Somehow, Lewis Hamilton sits behind teammate George Russell and now Norris in the list of recent wins as the seven-time champion braces for another year of disappointment.

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Russell stormed to a Brazilian top step in 2022, Norris brought the heat to Miami in 2024, but Hamilton hasn't held a winner's trophy since Saudi Arabia in 2021.

How did it get so bad for a once invincible-seeming record-breaking driver, and when will it get better?

WATCH: 10 things you didn’t about Max Verstappen

F1's British bromance

On-board cameras showed the Mercedes driver enthusiastically giving his compatriot applause and a thumbs up for his hard work by finally clinching the hallowed P1 finish.

A cynic might think Hamilton was just delighted that Norris beat his 2021 title rival, Max Verstappen, but that's not the case.

Hamilton has long praised Norris' ability behind the wheel, sharing team radio messages like "Such a great driver Lando" in the 2021 Austrian GP.

Although he'd prefer to be the one taking the chequered flag, the 'game recognise game' expression is apt for his appreciation of a worthy winner.

Yet there might also be a sliver of encouragement for Hamilton to know that the all-dominant Red Bull team is beatable in a fair fight.

Perhaps some of his Miami cockpit gesticulations are tied to a feeling that it's time to pick up the fight.

Some of his recent comments to the media suggest so...

Mercedes' fading F1 hopes

"I've had enough of this, let's get back to where we belong," said Hamilton when speaking to CBS in Mercedes' New York City pre-race media flurry.

We, of course, know that Hamilton is heading to Ferrari in 2025, so any Mercedes gains in 2024 could be detrimental to his longer-term ambitions.

That doesn't mean he'll be happy to sit on the sidelines for a third season away from the lead pack and only pick up an occasional podium, but it looks like that is what he must endure.

After an uncompetitive 2023, three teams have won in 2024, and Mercedes isn't one of them - that will hurt a lot.

We're not anywhere near the craziness of the 2012 season when seven different drivers won the first seven races for five teams.

Yet we're inching closer to that than last year when only Red Bull stood atop the podium for 14 consecutive races.

If McLaren and Ferrari can defeat the Milton Keynes team, then why not Mercedes? And why not Hamilton?

Russell picks up Hamilton's advantage

Although Russell's Brazilian victory is more recent than Hamilton's last win, there must be so much frustration inside the King's Lynn driver's head.

He's missed the Mercedes highs by a single season after Toto Wolff kept Valtteri Bottas alongside Hamilton in the second Silver Arrow as Russell trundled around the back in an underperforming Williams.

Russell outscored Hamilton in their first season together and is already streaking clear of his illustrious teammate in 2024, too.

Perhaps that indicates a sway in Mercedes' priority when the team know only one of their two drivers is sticking by them for the immediate future.

Should Mercedes make a McLaren-style leap forward in 2024 and challenge for victories, why would they back their defector over someone they hope will bring many future wins?

No matter any public backing from Toto Wolff or anyone at Mercedes, the Brackley-based team will naturally begin phasing Hamilton out of their minds as 2024 continues and Russell's time to lead approaches.

When will Hamilton win in F1 again?

There's a romance in thinking Hamilton can take another victory to round out his Mercedes years, much like how Raikkonen grabbed that late USGP win in the twilight of his Ferrari tenure.

However, the cold, hard truth is Hamilton is in a midfield team that struggles to escape Q2 while still thinking they're part of F1's front-running force.

Hamilton's Ferrari switch continues to make more and more sense — especially if Newey also jumps to Maranello.

Sadly, for Hamilton fans, there's little sign that he'll be the British representative making God Save the King ring out from the podium any time soon.

As McLaren's sublime Miami Sunday showed, Britain's Formula 1 future is not reliant on Sir Lewis Hamilton's success.

Somehow, Britain's best Formula 1 driver is at the bottom of the current British pile, and it seems like an Italian Prancing Horse is the only way to rescue him.

Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Lando Norris George Russell Miami