Latest news with #NicoHulkenberg
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Revealed: Lewis Hamilton APOLOGISED off-camera to Sky Sports presenter after terse interview following Spanish GP - where Ferrari star made a brutal admission about his team
Lewis Hamilton issued an off-air apology to Sky Sports presenter Rachel Brookes following his downbeat interview following the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday. The Ferrari driver came home in seventh but was bumped up one place after Max Verstappen careered into George Russell, an incident which saw him demoted down to 10th. Unable to keep up with the two McLarens and Verstappen, Hamilton was told to let Charles Leclerc pass him early in the race, giving his team-mate a leg up as he went on to finish third. Hamilton's frustrations were increased when he was passed by Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg on the penultimate lap of the race. The 40-year-old, who joined Ferrari on a £40million-deal this year, was visibly frustrated when interviewed by Brookes for Sky Sports after the race. Pressed on his comment over team radio that there was 'something wrong' with his car, and for his immediate reaction to the race, Hamilton replied: 'Not particularly, it was not a great day. The strategy was good, the team did a great job. Just, that's it.' Brookes then told Hamilton: 'I hate seeing you in this mood.' Hamilton quickly responded, replying: 'Well what do you want me to say? I had a really bad day and I've got nothing to say. 'It was a difficult day, I've got nothing else to add to it. There's no point explaining it. It's not your fault, I've just not got anything to say.' Brookes admitted she hopes Ferrari will be able to find a fix for his woes, but Hamilton said: 'I'm sure they won't, the answer is probably just me.' Sky Sports commentator David Croft, speaking on T he Fast and The Curious podcast, has now revealed Hamilton had apologised to Brookes off-camera for the nature of the interview. '[Lewis Hamilton] was really down on himself, and no one likes to see that because at the end of the day, whether you're a fan or not, Lewis Hamilton is the greatest racing driver we've ever seen,' Croft said. 'Statistically, he is the greatest. I think he's the greatest even without the stats. He wears his heart on his sleeve and should be applauded for that because it does a lot of good when he wears his heart on his sleeve. 'He did apologise to Rachel Brookes for being so down in the dumps off camera. He said, "I'm really sorry about that, I'm just so down". 'And that just shows the extent that he really was down. He's not putting this on for the cameras, trust me. And once again, it's right after the race. He's not had time for a debrief. He's not had time to have a chat with his race engineer. 'So he probably didn't know the extent of whatever damage the car had at the time he spoke to Rachel. 'And he probably didn't realise that it was the car that was hindering him more so than his driving in that one. 'And look, when you're in a Ferrari and you're overtaken by Nico Hülkenberg, albeit in a Ferrari-powered Sauber, you're going to question, 'Is it me really? Am I doing something wrong here?' Because it just didn't go for him really from the outset.' Reports have since claimed Hamilton had picked up floor damage during the race, which may have impacted his Ferrari in the closing stages on Sunday. Hamilton currently trails Ferrari team-mate Leclerc by 23 points in the drivers' championship, with the seven-time world champion is sixth in the overall standings. Hamilton has finished six of his first nine Ferrari races outside of the top five since making the lucrative move.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Independent
Lewis Hamilton says Spanish GP one of his worst races after sixth place finish
Lewis Hamilton described the Spanish Grand Prix as one of his worst races, finishing sixth after being overtaken by Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg late in the race. Hamilton was instructed by Ferrari to let teammate Charles Leclerc pass him on lap 10, contributing to his placement. Charles Leclerc finished third, securing his third podium of the season, while Hamilton has yet to achieve a top-three finish in his nine starts for Ferrari. Hamilton is now 23 points behind Leclerc and 115 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri. Despite out-qualifying Leclerc for only the second time this season, Hamilton's race performance was poor, leading him to express having 'zero' positives from the experience.
TimesLIVE
3 days ago
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Sauber's season turns a corner with Hulkenberg's top-five drive
Nico Hulkenberg lifted Sauber off the bottom of the Formula One standings with a fifth place at the Spanish Grand Prix for the future Audi team. Sunday's result, in a car with upgrades, was Swiss-based Sauber's best in three years and they left the Circuit de Catalunya eighth overall and ahead of Aston Martin and Renault-owned Alpine. They had not scored points since Hulkenberg was seventh in the Australian season-opener in March. "It was one of those Sundays where everything came together well," said Hulkenberg, who passed Ferrari's seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton for fifth. "Right from the beginning, we were in the mix. A strong start, a clean first lap and we were immediately able to fight for points. "Ironically, not having the best Saturday and saving a set of softs gave us a strategic edge with the tyre allocation. The safety car mixed things up a bit, and having the fresh compounds turned out to be a golden ticket." Hulkenberg has scored all of Sauber's points this season with Brazilian rookie teammate Gabriel Bortoleto, who finished 12th, yet to open his account in nine starts. Sauber, who become the Audi factory team next year, are level on 16 points with Aston Martin but ahead on placings. Alpine are last and five further adrift.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Automotive
- The Independent
Lewis Hamilton bemoans performance at Spanish GP: ‘Worst race I have experienced'
A demoralised Lewis Hamilton described his latest Ferrari horror show at Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix as one of the worst races he has ever experienced. Hamilton was ordered by Ferrari to move aside for team-mate Charles Leclerc on lap 10 and was then passed by Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg in the closing laps. Hamilton finished seventh but moved up one place to sixth in the final classification following Max Verstappen 's post-race penalty. Leclerc took the chequered flag in third to land his third podium of the season, but Hamilton is yet to take a top-three finish in nine Ferrari starts. He is 23 points behind Leclerc, and 115 adrift of championship leader Oscar Piastri. 'I have no idea why it was so bad,' said 40-year-old Hamilton. 'That was the worst race I have experienced, balance-wise.' Quizzed as to whether he could take any positives from Sunday's performance, the seven-time world champion replied: 'Zero.' And then asked where he goes from here, Hamilton answered: 'Home.' Hamilton had been able to take confidence from out-qualifying Leclerc for just the second time this campaign, and appeared in good spirits prior to Sunday's race when he embraced England captain Harry Kane and Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka in the moments before the lights went out. He then moved ahead of former Mercedes team-mate George Russell at the opening bend to take fourth. But Hamilton's afternoon soon unravelled when he failed to match Leclerc's speed, and he was told by race engineer Riccardo Adami to 'trade places' with his team-mate. It is the second time this season that Hamilton has been ordered out of Leclerc's way in a race. Hamilton won the sprint round in China in March, but his record in the main events so far for Ferrari reads 10th, disqualified, seventh, fifth, seventh, eighth, fourth, fifth and sixth. Hamilton added: 'The team did a great job and that is all I can say. I didn't have any speed at the end.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Hamilton passed by Leclerc and Hulkenberg in another low point since joining Ferrari
MONTMELO, Spain (AP) — Lewis Hamilton's frustrating debut season with Ferrari hit a new low point during the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday. A sixth-placed finish wasn't bad, even for a seven-time world champion. Advertisement But Hamilton again finished behind teammate Charles Leclerc, who was third, and had to endure his team telling him to get out the way for Leclerc. Hamilton was blocking the much faster Leclerc over several early laps until the team order came over the radio. Worse was to come near the end, however, when Nico Hulkenberg overtook Hamilton in his Sauber. Hamilton said his car was unbalanced. 'I have no idea why it was so bad,' Hamilton said. 'That was the worst race I have experienced, balance-wise.' Oscar Piastri won Sunday's race. The only bright spot for Hamilton since he left Mercedes for Ferrari this season was his sprint win in China. That, however, was followed by a double disqualification for him and Leclerc in the Grand Prix the next day. His best race finish this season was fourth in Imola. ___ AP auto racing: Joseph Wilson, The Associated Press
