Lewis Hamilton branded ‘biggest disappointment’ in ‘controversial’ DC comments

Albeit “controversial”, Lewis Hamilton has been branded the “biggest disappointment” of F1 2024 and an unrecognisable version of himself.

That blunt verdict comes from 13-time grand prix winner David Coulthard, as he looked back on a challenging 12th and final season in Mercedes colours for the seven-time World Champion.

Coulthard has ‘never seen this Lewis Hamilton in Formula 1’

Hamilton contested the full F1 2024 campaign knowing it was his last with Mercedes, having agreed a multi-year deal with Ferrari from 2025 before the season had started, and while he experienced highs such as ending a two-and-a-half-year winless run on home soil at Silverstone, there were lows such as Qatar where he declared “I’m definitely not fast anymore”.

That came after a fresh qualifying defeat to then Mercedes team-mate George Russell, Hamilton losing the head-to-head battle 19-5 against his fellow Brit, with Hamilton also suggesting in a difficult run to the Mercedes finish line that he wanted it to be over, including admitting that he considered walking away in the immediate aftermath of the Brazilian GP.

And when Coulthard was asked by Viaplay?for his biggest disappointment of F1 2024, he did not hold back.

“I would still point to Lewis as the biggest disappointment,” said Coulthard.

“I know that’s controversial as he’s a seven-time World Champion and a real winning machine, but I’ve never seen this Lewis in Formula 1.

“He was beaten in qualifying, while the greats can always find speed somewhere to squeeze out a qualifying lap when it really matters.”

The most successful F1 driver of all-time with a record-equalling seven World titles, plus outright benchmarks such as most wins (105), poles (104) and podiums (202), Hamilton will have already made his mark at Ferrari in financial terms, predicts Coulthard.

Yet, he warns that this does not spare Hamilton’s performances if he does not re-discover form.

“Ferrari of course signed him early in the year and then everyone was very enthusiastic,” Coulthard continued. “Ferrari’s shares shot up so fast that they have probably already eliminated all the costs of bringing in Lewis and [Fred] Vasseur [Ferrari team principal] of course knows him well.

“But Formula 1 remains a sport that is very dependent on data.

“The stopwatch doesn’t lie and at the moment it just doesn’t deliver in terms of lap times. So they have to worry a little bit.

“But sometimes change is also good. Maybe the switch to Ferrari for Hamilton, putting on that red suit, works the same as Superman putting on his suit. But it will be an exciting time anyway.”

More on the blockbuster Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari deal

??10 biggest sports deals in history: Where does Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari salary rank?

??Your questions answered: All you need to know about Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari move

While one-lap pace became an issue for Hamilton last season, his race performances at times provided solace, that on full display in his final Mercedes race where he recovered from a Q1 exit to finish P4 in Abu Dhabi.

And it is Hamilton’s racecraft which Vasseur is much more interested in than his qualifying performances.

“Yeah but, first of all, we are well placed to know that it’s on Sunday that you are scoring points,” he told Sky Sports News when asked about Hamilton’s recent qualifying woes.

“But I think we fell a little bit in 2023 also, because we were probably the best in quali, but we struggled in the race.

“It means that we have to keep the focus on the race, a decent step forward in ’24 but we have to keep this approach.

“Charles [Leclerc] and so, I think, improved a lot on the race management, tyre management between 2023 and ’24, it means that we have to keep the same momentum and the same approach for the next championship.”

Vasseur had remained true to that stance which he first made clear after Hamilton’s qualifying struggles in Las Vegas, where the Ferrari driver to be had qualified only P10, but recovered to P2 as Russell took the win in a dominant Mercedes performance.

“Not at all,” the Ferrari boss assured when asked if Hamilton’s concerning comments about his own speed were setting the alarm bells off. “Have a look at the 50 laps that he did in Vegas.

“Starting P10, finishing on the gearbox of Russell, I’m not worried at all.”

Read next – Lewis Hamilton at 40: How much do you know about the seven-time F1 champion?