Danica Patrick makes her feelings known about Lewis Hamilton’s ‘unfortunate’ situation amid penultimate race with Mercedes

Former IndyCar driver Danica Patrick expressed her feelings about Lewis Hamilton's unfortunate turnaround in his final F1 race for Mercedes on Sunday. The Brit will move to Scuderia Ferrari in 2025, replacing Carlos Sainz, and ending his partnership with the German outfit after 14 seasons.

Patrick retired from all forms of competitive racing in the 2018 season and currently works as an F1 presenter for Sky Sports. The former IndyCar driver was present at the Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi for the penultimate showdown of the season.

Lewis Hamilton will run his final race for Mercedes. However, the seven-time F1 champion's qualifying was plagued by a bollard stuck under his car, resulting in a P16 start in the upcoming race.

Danica Patrick outlined Hamilton's 'unfortunate' situation as the Brit will have to do the heavy lifting of overtaking nearly the entire grid to post a promising finish. She expressed her feelings through her Instagram story.

"Lewis' last race for merc...Going to have to come from the back unfortunately, but still time to make it exciting!" Patrick wrote.

Danica Patrick on Instagram (@danicapatrick)

Patrick has lent her expertise in NASCAR across all three series. Before entering the stock car racing discipline, the Wisconsin native fielded a full-time IndyCar schedule from 2005 to 2011. In 2008, she became the only woman to win an IndyCar race after triumphing in the Indy Japan 300.

Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton will exit Mercedes after contributing to 84 wins, the most thus far witnessed in any F1 driver-team partnership.

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Danica Patrick updates on McLaren's starting grid as she shares an image with CEO Zak Brown

McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri rounded the final qualifying session in 1-2, locking the front row for the Papaya Orange team. The Woking, United Kingdom-based outfit wasn't on the favorites list to win either the driver's title or the constructors' championship.

However, since making drastic changes in the setup of MCL38 ahead of the Miami race, Zak Brown-led McLaren has reached new heights, placing itself among the top contenders. Norris got the first of three F1 wins in Miami, while Piastri achieved the first of his two victories in the Hungarian GP.

As the team locked the front row for the penultimate race, Danica Patrick shared the update on her Instagram story, featuring Brown, and the 2016 F1 champion Nico Hulkenberg.

Danica Patrick on Instagram (@danicapatrick)

Even though Max Verstappen claimed his fourth title this season in Las Vegas, McLaren has been dominating the constructors' fight for quite some time now. They currently lead Ferrari by 21 points, which seems tough but can be beaten by the red SF24s fielded by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

If McLaren successfully earns the 2024 title, it will mark the first time since 1998 that the British outfit will lift another constructors' title.