Lewis Hamilton bails out Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes are still yet to announce a new contract for 2024, with his current contract almost expiring.

Lewis Hamilton has described his journey to a sixth-place finish at the F1 Dutch Grand Prix as a form of “redemption” following a disappointing qualifying session. 

The seven-time world champion’s recovery from a 13th-place start showcased his determination and skill on the challenging Zandvoort track.

Hamilton faced a daunting task after a shocking elimination in Q2 left him starting from the 13th position on the grid. 

However, he managed to showcase his resilience, fighting his way through the field to secure a commendable sixth-place finish behind Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in a race marked by chaos and rain.

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Reflecting on his performance, Hamilton expressed satisfaction with his drive, especially considering his challenging starting position:

“It didn’t start off that well but I’m happy with the drive that I did to get back into the points and get sixth.”

Hamilton identified Mercedes’ decision to delay his pit stop during an early downpour as a key factor that prevented him from achieving an even better result:

“But it could have been higher, for sure, if we had made the right decision at the end of the day. 

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“We should have pitted, obviously, and we didn’t and we paid the price for that, and we did our best to come back.”

The British driver found solace in his ability to rebound from a disappointing Saturday and make significant progress during the race:

“I feel like today was redemption in a sense that it was terrible yesterday and I’ve managed to dial the car in a bit better today. 

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“I overtook a bunch of people and to start 13th, I was dead last at one time, so to get back up to sixth, I’m happy with that.”

Despite the challenging circumstances, Hamilton’s performance allowed him to earn valuable points, positioning him fourth in the drivers’ championship standings with 156 points. 

He currently trails Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso by 12 points. Meanwhile, his teammate George Russell occupies the seventh position in the championship standings, 57 points behind Hamilton.