Former F1 racer Johnny Herbert believes that it has become "horrible to watch" Lewis Hamilton struggling at Ferrari. He highlighted how, while the seven-time champion struggles, fellow teammate Charles Leclerc stays consistent and capitalizes on strong starts to bring results home for the team.
The Mexico Grand Prix was a disappointing one for Hamilton. He led Ferrari to a 2-3 in qualifying with Leclerc ahead of him. It was the Scuderia's best joint qualifying of the season and the British racer's best.
However, early in the race, the stewards slapped him a 10-second stop-and-go penalty for cutting the corner and securing an advantage during a lap 6 contest with Max Verstappen. That cost Lewis Hamilton a bug in the big scenario, and he fell out of contention for his first podium finish with Ferrari. He eventually finished in a lowly P8, while Charles Leclerc finished runner-up to race winner Lando Norris.
Johnny Herbert called the Mexico GP "a mixed bag" for Hamilton and told AdventureGamers (via Express):
"It was another frustrating weekend for him. It was a better qualifying. He seemed to be happier with the qualifying performance. But then in the race it didn't quite materialise. It just didn't click for him. It just seems to be an ongoing thing. It’s horrible to watch."
"It’s an ongoing saga for him where Charles is still being very consistent and getting the job done. Lewis did say he was more comfortable with the car. So, let's see if there is progress in the remaining races. They want that. All Lewis fans will want that at the same time. It hasn't yet materialised."
Excluding DNFs, DSQs, and sprint results, Lewis Hamilton has an average finish of 6.61 in the races this season, while Charles Leclerc, who has secured seven podiums, has an average finish of 5.
The seven-time F1 champion has also become the holder of an unwanted record, running 20 races with Ferrari without a podium.