Lewis Hamilton branded the FIA stewards a “complete joke” after he was handed a penalty at the Brazilian Grand Prix – a race he ultimately was forced to retire from.
The seven-time F1 world champion, who only started 13th on the grid after another tough qualifying session on Saturday, endured a poor start off the line as contact with the Williams of Carlos Sainz - whom he replaced at Ferrari - saw him slip down the order.
Then, he sustained a broken front wing after briefly touching the rear of Franco Colapinto’s Alpine car on the main straight and was dead last after coming into the pits.
The 40-year-old fought on despite being severely impacted by a lack of downforce, caused by a damaged floor, but the stewards then dished out a five-second penalty for that collision with Colapinto.
“These guys are a joke – a complete joke,” Hamilton said over team radio, when informed of the penalty.
Given his lowly position and car damage, Hamilton retired from the race after serving his penalty in the pit-lane, resulting in a double DNF for Ferrari after Charles Leclerc’s withdrawal earlier in the race. It also means Ferrari drop to fourth in the constructors’ championship, behind Red Bull in third.
Hamilton previously voiced his irritation with the stewards at the last race in Mexico, when he was handed a 10-second penalty after a tussle with Max Verstappen.
Reflecting on the event as a whole, in which Hamilton did not score one point, the Briton acknowledged it was a “weekend to forget.”
He added: “It’s a shame, because I love Brazil, and also just everyone in the team, every single person in this team, they turn up every week and give it their absolute best.
“To come away with nothing, to not finish a race, the second time this year, it’s really devastating.
“I feel terrible for the team. I’m sorry for my part, in qualifying, putting myself in that position. We’ll get back up tomorrow and just give it another go.”
Hamilton remains without a podium in 21 races as a Ferrari driver and is sixth in the drivers’ world championship, 66 points off teammate Leclerc.
The 40-year-old added: “This [season] is a nightmare, and I’ve been living it for a while.
“The flip between the dream of driving for this amazing team, and then the nightmare of results that we’ve had, the ups and downs, it is challenging.
“This weekend has been disastrous and disappointing for everyone. I am trying to keep my head above water and remain positive.”
Lando Norris won the race at Interlagos, extending his lead in the standings to 24 points with three rounds remaining.
The next race is the third iteration of the Las Vegas Grand Prix on 20-22 November.
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