Hamilton 'devastated' after late Brazil spin derails charge

Lewis Hamilton called his Brazilian Grand Prix “devastating” after a charge from 20th to the points unravelled with a late spin. The Ferrari driver finished ninth, a lap down, in his 400th grand prix, then thanked fans and congratulated Mercedes on the constructors’ title.

Why it matters:

• Hamilton’s Ferrari chapter has mixed speed with frustrating execution; Interlagos was another missed chance in front of a crowd he calls special.
• His fourth place with three rounds left shows the title fight is not settled.

The details:

• An engine penalty forced him to start 20th. On intermediates, he climbed 11 places before rear degradation set in.
• He pushed Ferrari to switch to slicks and was the first to do so. The gamble looked bold until rain returned on lap 62.
• Hamilton stayed out one lap longer, spun before the pits and finished ninth.
• “It started so well, but we struggled with the tyres and massive oversteer,” he wrote. “I pushed as hard as I could, but we just didn’t have the pace this weekend.”
• He praised the team’s effort and thanked Brazil’s fans, adding: “I don’t take it for granted.”

What’s next:

Ferrari must diagnose its pace and tyre-management problems before the final three rounds. Hamilton’s message was clear; now the team needs a response on track.