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What could have been a first win of the season for Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes turned out to ónly be a second-place podium finish (that too, for George Russell). A small strategic mistake during the safety car period saw Hamilton lose out on a chance to fight for a win at this weekend's Dutch GP.
This went hard on the Briton as he raged out on the team radio while team boss Toto Wolff was visibly hopeless.
Fans weren't happy either.
"SHAME ON YOU."
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Fans were shaken as the team did not call Hamilton in for a pit stop while everyone else was doing so. As he was part of the great minority who stayed on Mediums during the safety car, he quickly lost a couple of places when the race resumed, ultimately finishing in fourth.
"Why are we treating an 8 time wdc like a number 2 driver?"
"Only way this guy can redeem himself now is by taking himself and max out, such a selfish call."
"Pathetic."
George Russell finishes ahead of Lewis Hamilton, earning another podium
Although this ruined the race for Lewis Hamilton, Russell, who was called in for the pitstop, was easily able to make up places and climb up to P2.
Russell has been fairly better than Hamilton in the W13, which has been way different than what the seven-time world champion has been driving for the past seven years. This season seems like it could be the first one without Lewis Hamilton winning a single race. Ever since his debut in F1 with McLaren, he hasn't completed a season without winning a race, and the best he has finished so far this year is P2.
He currently stands sixth in the drivers' standings, a proper 76 points clear of Lando Norris in seventh. The gap allows him to comfortably chase down Ferrari's Carlos Sainz in fifth, who is only 17 points ahead of him. However, the challenge will be a tough one considering the Prancing Horse's pace this season. Similar to all the races so far this year, Hamilton will continue to rely on the Silver Arrows' unmatched reliability to put up strong performances moving forward.
