Subdued Hamilton praises Ferrari after 'tricky' weekend

Sao Paulo: Lewis Hamilton concluded his exit from Interlagos on Sunday with a subdued demeanor, following a weekend marred by challenges at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, marking the third race in a disappointing triple-header for Ferrari. The seven-time champion concluded the race in ninth place, starting 20th on the grid, two positions behind his teammate Charles Leclerc, after a rain-soaked contest where Ferrari were among the also-rans as Mercedes secured the constructors' title.

Ferrari maintained their second-place standing in the teams' standings, but required only three additional points to clinch the world title, while Mercedes cruised to the championship with little concern on the day. This result pushed Hamilton further from the drivers' title race, dropping him from third to fourth place behind new champion Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes, Max Verstappen of Red Bull, and Mercedes' George Russell.

Leclerc now stands in fifth place. Despite Hamilton's declaration ahead of his 400th Formula One race start that he and Leclerc had quelled the unrest and tension within the team following a first-lap collision in Mexico, his optimism proved unfounded. Hamilton acknowledged the challenging weekend, stating, "It was a really tough day and weekend for the whole team."

He praised the team's efforts, particularly the mechanics for switching engines and optimizing the car's performance. Hamilton had engine issues on Friday, necessitating the introduction of two new units on Saturday when another one failed during final practice, resulting in a penalty and a 20th-place start. He had a promising start in the race but faced difficulties with a ballooning and overheating rear tyre.

He was penalized for an extra stop due to a late spin, as he was unaware of the worsening wet conditions and passed the pit lane into Turn 1 on slicks. Although the team performed admirably, Hamilton concluded, "But I ended up making an extra stop, so I had a lot of ground to cover."