Lewis Hamilton had no choice but to attempt to dominate the Suzuka Circuit grid.
At the Suzuka Circuit on Sunday, Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton had an embarrassing moment while scootering along the grid. When seven-time world champion Sergio Perez nearly lost his grip on the bike because of a loose cable, the Red Bull team members all turned to look at him.
Tension between Mercedes and Red Bull dates back a long way, having fought fiercely for the top spots in 2021. The Silver Arrows won the Constructors’ Championship, but after a contentious shootout in Abu Dhabi, Max Verstappen defeated Hamilton in the individual standings.
Since then, Red Bull and Verstappen have dominated the rest of the field, forcing Hamilton to watch on. In addition to that agony, the veteran driver for Mercedes nearly lost consciousness on Sunday before the Japanese Grand Prix.
Hamilton was riding his electric scooter when he rolled over a cable, sending him tumbling forward and off of Perez’s Red Bull, which was positioned second on the grid.
Observing Perez’s RB20 from a distance of only a few feet, four out of the six engineers turned to face the sheepish 39-year-old as he hopped back on the scooter. The 39-year-old was being followed by a TV camera.
Sadly for Hamilton, the incident was caught on camera and went viral on social media very soon. Once the race began, things didn’t get much better for the former member of McLaren.
Mercedes was able to switch to hard-compound tyres immediately after Daniel Ricciardo and Alex Albon collided, resulting in an early red flag. Ultimately, though, it was a bust, with Hamilton finishing a disappointing ninth.
George Russell didn’t do much better, limping to a P7 finish despite an impressive overtake on Oscar Piastri with one lap remaining. With just 10 points after four races, Hamilton has had the worst start to a season in his career.
The legendary Formula One driver from Stevenage hasn’t won a Grand Prix since 2021, but after reaching a multi-year agreement, he will get the opportunity to try his hand at Ferrari the following year. The decision made by the Scuderia has become contentious due to Carlos Sainz’s impressive performance.
After winning the Australian Grand Prix two weeks prior, Sainz—Hamilton will take over for him at Ferrari—placed third in Japan, trailing Verstappen and Perez.
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