Topics: Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Formula 1
Jeremy Clarkson has taken a swipe at Lewis Hamilton after spotting a 'troubling' thing from the Chinese Grand Prix.
Hamilton has enjoyed a mixed start at Ferrari following his blockbuster move from Mercedes.
He finished 10th in the Australian Grand Prix and things looked promising at the Chinese Grand Prix when he claimed his first win for Ferrari with a dominant victory in the sprint race.
However, in the main race, he dropped to fifth in qualifying before being disqualified for technical infringements.
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In his column for The Sun, Clarkson referenced Hamilton's contrasting results and hit out at the British driver's 'slow' race, slamming his disqualification.
"IT’S important to everyone in Formula One that Ferrari does well because all the other teams are businesses, and Ferrari is more than that. It’s the heart and it’s the soul," he wrote.
Clarkson added: "It was crucial then that the team’s new boy, Lewis Hamilton, came out of the traps like he’d been fired from a gun. And how good would that be if it happened in China, in front of a crowd that thinks he’s a god.
"And blow me down, it did. For the sprint race in Shanghai last weekend, the elder statesman took pole position and then cruised away from the pack to win the race as well.
"What’s interesting, and troubling, is that a few hours later, having created headlines around the world, Lewis could only qualify for the main event in fifth.
"And in the race itself, he was so slow he let his team mate overtake.
"And then he was disqualified.
"How is that possible? I can understand that a car might be quick at one track and the following weekend, at a different track, be useless.
"But to go from hero to zero at the same track? On the same day? It makes no sense."
Speaking after the Chinese Grand Prix, Hamilton admitted his team has work to do to catch its rivals.
"Balance-wise, from the sprint race we made these changes and the car was terrible after that," he explained. "So I really struggled from then on.
"I think it's good learnings and hopefully won't do that again as I continue to learn this car."
Hamilton will be hoping for a better outcome at next month's Japanese Grand Prix.
