Lewis Hamilton expresses his disappointment at being Abandoned by team at Australian Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton issued an X-rated response after finishing second in the Australian Grand Prix, only to find most of the Mercedes team weren’t there to congratulate him in Parc Ferme.
The Brit looked puzzled after embracing the few familiar faces there to greet him after he secured the Silver Arrows’ best result of 2023 so far.
Hamilton abandoned by Mercedes team
Hamilton finished P2 in the race in what was one of the most chaotic races ever witnessed in Formula 1 and the British driver finished 2nd to give Mercedes his first podium. But his mood seemed to dip after only a small cluster of recognizable figures seemed to have gathered in Parc Ferme after he exited his car and removed his helmet.
Surfing star Kelly Slater posted a video on Instagram of Hamilton walking over to the group and being met with applause. After laughing and hugging one member of the party, the 38-year-old looked bemused as he asked: “Where is everybody? Where the f*** is my team?”
He was told they were in the garage and walked off before giving a slightly irked interview to F1 TV after the podium ceremony when he had still not seen his team.
Troubled times at the Silver Arrows
Lewis Hamilton has been vocal about the development of the car for the 2023 season after a rough 2022 season wherein he didn’t win any race for the first time in his F1 career.
“It’s about owning up and saying, ‘Yeah, you know what? We didn’t listen to you. It’s not where it needs to be and we’ve got to work,” Hamilton said on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Chequered flag podcast (via Andrew Brenson of BBC Sport).
As Benson noted, most teams have followed the designs pioneered by Red Bull heading into the 2023 season, while Mercedes will stick with its own “zero-sidepod” concept.
The 38-year-old said he told Mercedes about the problems a year ago.
“Last year, there were things I told them. I said the issues that are with the car,” Hamilton said. “I’ve driven so many cars in my life. I know what a car needs. I know what a car doesn’t need. I think it’s really about accountability.”
