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Motorsport

Lewis Hamilton 'been living in a nightmare for a while' after F1 Brazil GP retirement

Lewis Hamilton was extremely short of words after his “nightmare” result at the Brazilian Grand Prix, as the seven-time Formula 1 world champion retired midway through. 

The Ferrari driver lasted 37 laps due to suspected floor damage after separate incidents with Carlos Sainz and Franco Colapinto while fighting in the midfield at race start.

Hamilton first received a slight tag from Sainz at Turn 1 before a bigger incident along the start-finish straight, as he misjudged an overtake by clattering into the back of Colapinto.

It tore off the Ferrari’s front wing and resulted in a five-second penalty for Hamilton, who had already endured a disappointing weekend with seventh in the sprint before a Q2 exit in grand prix qualifying.

But the season as a whole has been underwhelming for Hamilton, as the new-for-2025 Ferrari driver is sixth in the championship, without a grand prix podium and is 66 points behind team-mate Charles Leclerc.

"It's a nightmare," Hamilton told Sky Sports F1 in an interview which lasted just 35 seconds. "I've been living it for a while. The flip between the dream of driving for this amazing team and then the nightmare of the results that we've had.

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari (Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images)

"The ups and downs. It's challenging. Tomorrow I'll get back up. I'll keep training. I'll keep working with the team. I really wanted to get them good points this weekend but I'll come back as strong as I can in the next race and try to recover."

Leclerc also had a disappointing race because he retired on lap six after being hit by Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, which was sandwiched between the Ferrari and Oscar Piastri’s McLaren at Turn 1.

But until then Leclerc was going strong, having qualified third for Sunday’s contest after finishing fifth in the sprint race, and that’s why Hamilton still thinks it isn’t all doom-and-gloom.

"It would be wrong to say that there are no positives at all," Hamilton told Viaplay. "If you look at Charles’ performance in qualifying, it shows that the car does have some pace in it.

"But we are just really having to fight through those hardships at the moment. I have to believe that these hardships lead to… I believe there is something extraordinary up ahead in my life and in my destiny.

"I truly still believe in this team and what we can achieve together. I just have to keep pushing and keep giving them everything I can."

Photos from Sao Paulo GP - Race

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Maisa Silva

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Toto Wolff, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Location on the wall in the Mercedes AMG F1 Team garage

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Location on the wall in the Mercedes AMG F1 Team garage

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Egle Ruskyte looks on in the Paddock

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Gabriel Medina arrives in the Paddock

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Alex Pereira arrives in the Paddock

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Rayssa Leal arrives in the Paddock

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Rubens Barrichello looks on in the Paddock

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Alex Pereira and Sergio Aguero in front of the Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber garage

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Carlos Prates visits the Mercedes AMG F1 Team garage

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Alexandre Pato and Rebeca Abravanel in the Alpine F1 garage

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Fans

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

The drivers parade

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team, Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team, Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team, Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

A quartet of Embraer EMB-312 Super Tucanos fly over the circuit

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber, Alexander Albon, Williams, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Carlos Sainz, Williams, Alexander Albon, Williams

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Carlos Sainz, Williams, Alexander Albon, Williams

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Bernie Ecclestone looks on on the grid

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing, Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Marshal recovers a tyre carcass from the track

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Mark Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Andrea Stella, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

Formula 1
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