Lewis Hamilton’s US Grand Prix went from bad to worse as the seven-time world champion faced an early exit on Lap 3, leaving his car stranded in the gravel at Turn 19 in a dramatic and disappointing end to his race. The 39-year-old Mercedes driver, who had already endured a rough weekend after a shocking Q1 elimination in qualifying, capped it off with an uncharacteristic mistake that led to a DNF, crushing any hopes of turning his weekend around.
Mercedes, who had shown glimpses of improved performance in recent races, was nowhere near their best at the Circuit of the Americas. Both Hamilton and teammate George Russell struggled to match the pace of their rivals, despite putting up decent results in the sprint. For Hamilton, his woes started in qualifying, where he faced massive fan backlash after failing to make it out of Q1. Russell’s crash in Q3 and subsequent pit-lane start only added to the team’s troubles.
In the race, Hamilton was pushing hard to recover lost ground but found himself stuck in the midfield. His attempt to push harder saw him lose control and beach his W15 in the gravel at Turn 19. Hamilton immediately took to the team radio to apologize, knowing the implications of his early retirement.
“I’m sorry, guys,” Hamilton said over the radio, clearly frustrated with the outcome. The incident marks a significant blow to his standing in the drivers’ championship, where his slim 19-point lead over Russell will now be in serious jeopardy. The gap between the two Mercedes drivers is likely to close dramatically as the season heads into its final rounds.
For Hamilton, this DNF at the US GP also means missing out on a golden opportunity to surpass Max Verstappen’s record for most race wins on American soil. The 2024 season, already riddled with challenges for the Briton, seems to be slipping further out of his control, and his aspirations of finishing the year on a high note are beginning to fade.
The impact of Mercedes’ woeful weekend goes beyond individual standings, with the team’s battle against Ferrari for third in the constructors’ championship now facing a significant setback. Ferrari’s drivers, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, capitalized on the situation, while both Hamilton and Russell struggled to make any meaningful progress.
As Hamilton’s disappointing 2024 season drags on, the pressure mounts for the veteran driver. The road ahead appears steep, with Mercedes needing to find answers quickly if Hamilton hopes to reclaim any momentum before the season’s end. His form, once the envy of the grid, will need a dramatic turnaround to avoid further setbacks in the closing races of the year.
