Lewis Hamilton’s Formula 1 dream with Ferrari hasn’t been the fairytale many fans imagined, as the seven-time world champion arrived at Maranello full of hope and determined to bring the Scuderia back to its former glory, but at the Brazilian Grand Prix, that dream hit another rough patch.
What was supposed to be a new era for Hamilton has quickly turned into something far more complicated and a familiar Ferrari story filled with frustration and missed chances, also called the “Ferrari curse.”
A Nightmare Weekend in Brazil for Lewis Hamilton
Hamilton’s weekend at Interlagos started on the wrong foot and never really recovered, as after finishing seventh in the sprint and falling out in Q2 during qualifying, he entered Sunday’s race already on the back foot. His start during the race went horribly, and things quickly went wrong when he tangled with Williams driver Carlos Sainz at Turn 1 and then clipped the back of Franco Colapinto’s car a few laps later.
The second collision tore off Hamilton’s front wing and also earned him a five-second penalty. Later, Ferrari suspected floor damage, and by Lap 37, the team called him in to retire, leading to a frustrating end to a difficult weekend for Hamilton, and his post-race interview said it all.
“It’s a nightmare,” he told Sky Sports F1. “I’ve been living it for a while. The flip between the dream of driving for this amazing team and then the nightmare of the results that we’ve had. The ups and downs. It’s challenging…. I’ll keep working with the team. I really wanted to get them good points this weekend but I’ll come back as strong as I can in the next race and try to recover.”
Hamilton’s honesty summed up the kind of season he’s been having, where his results have been inconsistent, and despite flashes of pace, he’s yet to find the rhythm he had at Mercedes.
Ferrari’s “Champion Curse” Strikes Hamilton
Ferrari’s struggles aren’t new, as for years the team has carried what the F1 world calls the “Ferrari curse.” It’s not about superstition but about a pattern that has become too familiar, with great champions joining the team only to leave disappointed without another title.
Since Kimi Räikkönen won the drivers’ championship in 2007, no Ferrari driver has lifted the trophy again. Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel tried, and both came close but left frustrated, and now Hamilton finds himself in that same cycle by trying to pull Ferrari out of its long dry spell.
Hamilton, however, isn’t ready to give up yet, and despite the poor results, he continues to speak about his belief in the Prancing Horse, “It would be wrong to say that there are no positives at all,” he told reporters after the race. “If you look at Charles’ performance in qualifying, it shows that the car does have some pace in it…. I believe there is something extraordinary up ahead in my life and in my destiny.”
“I truly still believe in this team and what we can achieve together. I just have to keep pushing and keep giving them everything I can,” he added, implying that he’s fully invested in building a team around him that can deliver results, and he’s not shying away from the hard work it’ll take.
The “Ferrari curse” may have claimed some of the sport’s biggest names, but Hamilton’s determination stands out, and he isn’t there to add his name to the list of champions who fell short but to break the pattern, no matter how long it takes.
