Lewis Hamilton Apologises to Sky Sports Presenter After …
Lewis Hamilton has issued a personal apology to Sky Sports F1 presenter Rachel Brookes following a tense post-race interview after the Spanish Grand Prix. The Ferrari driver, who endured another difficult weekend, was visibly frustrated during the conversation, prompting concern from fans and commentators alike.
Hamilton finished the race in seventh position but was later promoted to sixth after Red Bull’s Max Verstappen received a time penalty. Despite the slight improvement in his final classification, Hamilton’s struggles continued as he was overtaken late in the race by Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber – a stark reflection of his ongoing challenges since joining Ferrari.
The weekend had initially shown promise. For only the second time since his move to Ferrari, Hamilton managed to outqualify his teammate Charles Leclerc on Saturday. However, the optimism was short-lived. Within the first 10 laps of the race on Sunday, Ferrari issued team orders to let Leclerc pass, as he had significantly more pace. The Monegasque driver went on to secure a podium finish in third place – his third of the season – while Hamilton is still searching for his first top-three result in a main race this year.
In the immediate aftermath of the race, Hamilton was interviewed by Rachel Brookes and was notably despondent, calling it a “terrible” day. His demeanor came off as standoffish, sparking discussions about his state of mind and emotional approach. However, Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft has now shed more light on the situation, revealing that Hamilton apologised to Brookes off-camera.
Speaking on The Fast and the Curious podcast, Croft explained, “He was really down on himself and no one likes to see that. Whether you’re a fan or not, Lewis Hamilton is the greatest racing driver we’ve ever seen. Statistically he is the greatest, but even without the stats, I think he’s the greatest.”
Croft went on to highlight Hamilton’s emotional openness. “He wears his heart on his sleeve, and he should be applauded for that. He did apologise to Rachel Brookes off-camera, saying, ‘I’m really sorry about that, I’m just so down.’ That just shows you how genuinely upset he was – it’s not a performance for the cameras.”
After showing signs of resurgence at the Imola Grand Prix, where he finished fourth after starting from 11th – his best result this season – Hamilton’s form has dipped again. In Monaco, he finished a distant fifth, over 50 seconds behind Leclerc. The Spanish Grand Prix added further disappointment to what has been a mixed campaign so far.
Hamilton now sits sixth in the drivers’ championship, 23 points behind teammate Leclerc and 23 ahead of Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. While he remains determined to chase an unprecedented eighth world title, Ferrari have only seen glimpses of his elite performance level since his highly anticipated move from Mercedes.
For now, Hamilton must regroup and refocus as he aims to reclaim his form in the remaining races of the season.
