Imagine the shock on Lewis Hamilton's face when he discovered Max Verstappen had not only won the Qatar Grand Prix but was also breathing down Lando Norris's neck in the championship race! He was completely blindsided! How could he possibly be so out of the loop?
Apparently, Hamilton was totally unaware of the race outcome at the Lusail International Circuit. After finishing his race, he headed to the media area for his post-race interviews, completely oblivious to Verstappen's victory and its implications for the F1 title chase. RacingNews365 had to break the news to him.
His explanation? A significant lack of strategically placed screens around the 5.419 km track left him in the dark. Hamilton suggested that adding more screens would be "helpful" because he simply "couldn't see the race" unfolding ahead of him. Think about it: a driver of his caliber, unable to follow the action!
The championship standings were even more of a surprise. After Norris and Verstappen, Oscar Piastri trails by another four points, putting him 16 points behind his McLaren teammate, with only the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix remaining. And this is the part most people miss: the pressure is immense for all three drivers, but especially Norris, who is trying to hold off Verstappen's relentless charge.
"So, Oscar's how far behind?" Hamilton inquired, clearly trying to process the information. Then, the real kicker: "How's Max 12 behind now?" The surprise was evident in his voice.
Upon hearing the championship trio's Qatar results, the 105-time grand prix winner couldn't mask his astonishment. "Max won? Oh shit, I didn't know, I had no idea!" the seven-time F1 drivers' champion exclaimed. "Holy shit! Wow! I thought Piastri won... Well, that's exciting! It goes right to the last — to the wire."
But here's where it gets controversial... Hamilton, ever the diplomat, offered praise for Verstappen, his rival from that unforgettable 2021 showdown at the Yas Marina Circuit, and Red Bull. He acknowledged their dominance, but with a subtle caveat.
"We all know Max does a great job," the 40-year-old said. "I think he's got a phenomenal team behind him, there's no denying that the best car really over the last four years, and maybe less so the beginning of this year. But they somehow came back. He's obviously got a great car, but he does an amazing job with it. So fair play to him." It's a gracious statement, but does it downplay Verstappen's skill by attributing his success primarily to the car? Some fans might argue that Hamilton's own past success was similarly tied to having the best machinery.
So, what do you think? Is Verstappen's success solely due to Red Bull's superior car, or is he simply the best driver on the grid? Is Hamilton being genuinely magnanimous, or is there a hint of underlying frustration in his comments? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
