Hamilton ninth after Brazil GP spin and Ferrari pace struggles

Lewis Hamilton finished ninth in the São Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos after starting 20th, gaining 11 places on the opening lap and then struggling to maintain pace before spinning in the closing stages. The Ferrari driver said he was disappointed by the result and that tyre problems and oversteer made the changing conditions difficult.

Hamilton started from the back after an engine-related penalty. He moved to intermediate tyres early in the wet race and later switched to slicks as the track dried. When rain intensified with 10 laps remaining, Ferrari called him to pit, but he missed the entrance and spun on the following lap. He was among the last drivers to return to intermediate tyres and finished behind teammate Charles Leclerc.

In a post-race social-media message, Hamilton said Ferrari had struggled with tyre performance and that he did not believe the car had sufficient pace over the weekend. He thanked the team and supporters, and said he would work to understand the problems before the next race.

Hamilton also described the pit-wall communication before his missed stop. He told Sky Italy that the last information he received was that the rain would remain at the same...