Lewis Hamilton has recently reflected on missing a golden opportunity to secure a podium at the recently concluded Las Vegas Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver had a disappointing outing in Sin City as he only managed to finish seventh after he had multiple incidents on the track.
When asked if he rues about missing his opportunity to secure a potential podium in Las Vegas, the Briton replied (as quoted by formule1.nl, “I have no idea what was possible. I’m just happy that I got some more points. But there definitely could have been a podium“.
Hamilton indeed did have an eventful race as he not only collided with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz but also McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. While the 38-year-old’s car did not suffer much damage following his contact with the Spaniard’s Ferrari, the same cannot be said for his moment with Piastri.
Following the contact with the Australian’s McLaren, Hamilton’s W-14 suffered a tire puncture. As a result, Hamilton had to pit immediately and ended up losing immense time to his rivals. It is this reason why seventh seemed the best position the Briton could secure at the Las Vegas GP.
Meanwhile, it was not just Hamilton who had a bad race for Mercedes but also his teammate George Russell. With the 25-year-old only finishing eighth in Las Vegas, the Silver Arrows will have to ensure that they put up a strong performance in the upcoming season finale in Abu Dhabi to secure P2 in the Constructors’ Championship.
Can Lewis Hamilton help Mercedes secure P2 in the championship?
After a difficult 2022 campaign, Lewis Hamilton has returned to his best in 2023. The Briton has secured six podiums this season and also battled Sergio Perez hard for P2 in the championship. While the Briton could not beat the Red Bull driver for second, he has managed to score most of the points for Mercedes this year.
Hamilton has scored 232 of Mercedes’ 392 points, while George Russell has just managed 160. Since Russell has struggled to deliver consistent results for the Silver Arrows, Ferrari have managed to reduce Mercedes’ lead in the championship just to four points.
Moreover, the Italian outfit also have the momentum going into the season finale in Abu Dhabi. Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur in a conversation with Autosport has already explained how he feels confident that his side can secure second place in the championship and win the extra millions of dollars in prize money.
