Jeremy Clarkson reacts to Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification in China: « From hero to zero »

Lewis Hamilton had a completely crazy weekend at the Chinese Grand Prix. He qualified on pole position and won the sprint race on Saturday. But Sunday was much less successful, as he let his teammate pass him during the race. And to finish in style? Disqualification for excessive plank wear. A dream weekend that turned into a nightmare.

Jeremy Clarkson, known for his outspoken style, didn’t hesitate to react in his column for The Sun. « What is interesting, and troubling, is that just a few hours later, after making headlines around the world, Lewis could only qualify fifth for the main event. And in the race itself, he was so slow that he let his teammate overtake him. And then he was disqualified. How is that even possible? », he wondered.

A bipolar Ferrari?

What intrigues Clarkson is this difference in performance between Saturday and Sunday. A Ferrari that is lightning-fast in the sprint, but almost « useless » the next day? A total mystery for the British presenter. « I can understand that a car can be fast on one track and then useless the following weekend on a different one. But to go from hero to zero on the same track? On the same day? That makes no sense », he added.

Ferrari fans aren’t surprised by these ups and downs. For years, the Scuderia has alternated between brilliance and disaster. Dubious strategies, lack of consistency… and a Hamilton-Leclerc duo that clearly still needs to learn how to work together.

Clarkson doesn’t stop there. He questions Lewis Hamilton‘s very decision to join Ferrari. According to him, the seven-time world champion is no longer as hungry as before and is mainly looking to end his career in red, just to make history. « What is Lewis now? A driver? Or a superstar? », he asks, adding a little jab at his internal rival: « He’ll struggle to beat his teammate Charles Leclerc, who speaks Italian, knows the team, doesn’t spend as much time posing for photos, and is considered by many to be the fastest driver of all. »

Clarkson implies that Hamilton knows his best years are behind him and that he just wants to tick the Ferrari box before retiring. « Maybe he signed with Ferrari for another reason — he knows he’s in a different phase now and didn’t want to retire without ever driving for the crown jewel of motorsport. »

A tense season ahead for Ferrari

Beyond Hamilton‘s mixed performance, it’s the entire Ferrari team that will be under scrutiny this season. The Scuderia has a lot at stake and can’t afford to waste time on internal tensions. Leclerc has been around for a long time and wants to establish himself as the team leader. Hamilton, meanwhile, has to prove he still has what it takes to win.

Clarkson ended with a touch of irony: « In any case, I wish him good luck. » A very British way of saying he’s not quite convinced.