Lewis Hamilton drives the Mercedes race car on track during the sprint race of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Interlagos circuit in Sao Paulo, Brazil, November 4, 2023. /CFP
Lewis Hamilton said he was counting down the days to the end of the F1 season, and being able to consign his Mercedes car to history, after a frustrating Sao Paulo sprint on Saturday.
The seven-time world champion and his team had arrived in Brazil full of hope after strong performances in the previous two races but Interlagos delivered a bucket of cold water instead.
"It was horrible. It was not enjoyable whatsoever," Hamilton said after finishing the 100km sprint in seventh place while teammate George Russell, last year's winner in Brazil, was fourth.
"I was just fighting the car from very early on."
Both cars suffered from significant tire degradation during the race, with Russell ending up 25.8 seconds adrift of Red Bull's race winner Max Verstappen – a significant margin over 24 laps – and Hamilton 34.7 seconds off the pace.
Sprint race winner Max Verstappen (C) of Red Bull Racing, second-placed Lando Norris (L) of McLaren, and third-placed Sergio Perez of Red Bull Racing celebrate in parc ferme after their sprint race of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Interlagos circuit in Sao Paulo, Brazil, November 4, 2023. /CFP
Hamilton told reporters the car was suffering understeer and snap oversteer with the tire performance dropping off.
"We won't be winning, that's for sure," he said.
"It's frustrating that the car is the way it is... we have one of the draggiest cars.
"The last couple of races we've been excited that we're progressing, and it's been really positive to see. But then you come to another track and you have the worst (tire) deg that you've had for ages, so you just don't know what to expect with this one.
"But only a couple more races with this car and it's done, so I'll be happy.
"This year you're just counting down the days, trying to enjoy every day as you can."
There are two races remaining after Brazil, a night race in Las Vegas and the season-ender in Abu Dhabi.
Team boss Toto Wolff told Sky Sports television it had been a "bruising" afternoon.
Mercedes had won the previous two sprints at Interlagos in 2021 and 2022, with Valtteri Bottas and then Russell, but Wolff brushed that aside.
"I don't care about the past," he said. "Today wasn't good."