Lewis Hamilton’s apology for X-rated rant another sign of his growing stature despite difficult year

Hamilton’s fury during the Dutch Grand Prix was understandable but his reflections post-race were refreshing in the face of adversity

Amid a turbulent season where Mercedes have been so far off the frontrunners – with race victories dumbfoundingly out of reach – Sunday’s topsy-turvy Dutch Grand Prix will have stung right where it hurt.

Because up until Yuki Tsuonda’s baffling retirement which triggered a race-changing virtual safety car, the Silver Arrows were on course for the most improbable of one-twos from fourth and sixth on the grid. A one-stop strategy was paying off big time and Lewis Hamilton’s record of winning at least one race in every Formula 1 season he’s competed in was on the verge of extension.

By and large then, Hamilton’s subsequent X-rated fury towards his team over the radio was understandable in a campaign devoid of crowning moments for the seven-time world champion. Not totally justified, but understandable.

With a choice of keeping both Hamilton and George Russell out following another safety car due to Valtteri Bottas’s engine failure or pitting Russell for soft tyres, Toto Wolff and his team opted for the latter option. Russell profited, Hamilton suffered as he was supremely surpassed by runaway Championship leader Max Verstappen on quicker rubber.

Hamilton would have been forgiven for hallucinations of Abu Dhabi last year springing into his head as he dropped down the order and off the podium. Of course, his anger over the airwaves was a hot topic in the pen afterwards but, much like last week after his first-lap crash with Fernando Alonso, the 37-year-old’s contriteness was refreshing and uplifting. In the face of adversity and annoyance, a reflective Hamilton took it on the chin once again.

Apologising for his explosion of “I can’t believe you guys f****** screwed me,” Hamilton said: “I don’t want to apologise for my passion, because that is just how I am made and I don’t always get it right.

“I am sorry to my team for what I said because it was made in the heat of the moment. Of course I am disappointed. It has been such a rollercoaster ride this year. I got up to second, I was catching them [Verstappen] and thinking, ‘Wow, we could be fighting for a win here, and maybe a one-two’.

“And then the safety car came through and fricking emotions were all over the place. I knew at that moment I had lost it because everyone was on the soft tyre and there was no way I was going to hold them behind me.”

While the past week has fallen way short of Mercedes’ post-summer break optimism amid a pole position in Budapest and a new technical directive, with now just seven races left for Hamilton to keep up his year-on-year win record the Mercedes star’s stature shows no signs of waning despite a disappointing year.

Lewis Hamilton apologised for his X-rated rant over team radio (AFP via Getty Images)

Two shows of post-race contrition in Belgium and the Netherlands are another indication of Hamilton’s growing maturity in his 16th season in Formula One. While the frustration of this year’s W13 failing him has added salt to the wounds following 2021’s lost title, his appetite for the fight is still very much prescient.

That’s with a new, quicker teammate in the garage alongside him too. Russell, who finished the race in second having narrowly avoided a disastrous crash into the rear of Hamilton’s Mercedes, essentially made the call himself to pit for soft tyres, a sign of the 24-year-old’s assuredness amid the chaos around him.

Russell is now 30 points ahead of Hamilton in the World Championship as he hunts down second place overall. In yesteryear, this will have irked Hamilton and his frustration would have boiled over publicly but while his irritation is undeniable, a belief that the all-British pair genuinely see eye to eye is commendable given Hamilton’s previous run-ins with competitive teammates, such as Messers Alonso and Rosberg.

George Russell is now 30 points clear of his Mercedes team-mate (Getty Images)

So for all the naysayers doubting Hamilton’s ability to win number eight amid Red Bull’s dominance and Ferrari’s resurgence, focus should hone in on the tools at his disposal rather than the man at the wheel.

Sixth in the Championship would usually be a disaster for Hamilton but with six podiums to his name and in a failing 2022 car, F1’s megastar has done his reputation no harm this year amid his continued activism and matureness off-track.

If, and it’s a big if, Mercedes get their car right for 2023, there’s no doubt Hamilton will be right back in the game at the top of the timesheets. His fuel for the fight is still very much evident.