While Charles Leclerc’s last-lap spin at the Miami Grand Prix made more noise on the Internet, Lewis Hamilton’s race weekend went by rather quietly, originally finishing seventh.

However, he climbed up a spot when Charles Leclerc was handed a 20-second penalty after the race. Nevertheless, the seven-time World Champion feels it was a tough weekend.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 sometime after the race, Hamilton hoped he would be competitive enough with the upgrades made to the SF-26. He noted how the car performed in the practice and qualifying sessions, but it just wasn’t his day in the race, especially after the incident with Franco Colapinto right in the beginning.

“Tough, a tough weekend, and it was a long race in no man’s land. I felt the car was pretty good on the laps to the grid. I felt like we would have been more competitive, so I really felt optimistic for today. I got held up at the beginning when Max spun, and I was in the wrong position for that, and then obviously the damage that I got after that, then I had nothing.

"Obviously not a good weekend at all. Seventh and a seventh. Just in no man’s land on both races, but particularly today, with the damage, there was nothing I could do. Really unfortunate because the team worked so hard, so to come away with a few points, we have to move on from here.”

When Antonelli, Verstappen, and Leclerc got engaged in a tussle at the first corner, the Dutchman spun after making contact with the Scuderia driver. Behind them, Hamilton’s car was also damaged in contact with Franco Colapinto, and he could not pick up any speed after that.

Charles Leclerc demoted below Hamilton after penalty

While Hamilton did not have an exciting weekend at the Miami Autodrome, Charles Leclerc was chasing down Oscar Piastri to grab third. However, his last-minute spin cost him that opportunity. At that moment, he also damaged his car’s steering, which led him to cut chicanes as he could navigate right-hand corners.

The officials flagged him for driving his car in an unsafe condition and for leaving the racetrack, and he was handed a 20-second penalty. After the race, he spoke to reporters, taking full responsibility for the spin.

“Very disappointed with myself. The last lap mistake is all on me, and it cost us P3 or P4; more likely, it would have been a P4, but the P3 was still right there. I'm very disappointed with myself. Mistakes happen, but on the last lap of the race like that, it's frustrating and not the level where I should be at.”

Nonetheless, Ferrari would do well to move on from the Miami Grand Prix. They have shown that the SF-26 is clearly competitive enough. They just need better decision-making and some amount of luck.

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Written by

Aaradhya Singh

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason