In a display of true sportsmanship, Lewis Hamilton set aside his own profound disappointment at the Brazilian Grand Prix to share a heartwarming moment with fellow British driver Oliver Bearman. The seven-time world champion, reeling from a second consecutive Q2 elimination, was captured on camera embracing and congratulating the young Haas rookie on his impressive qualifying performance.
A Tale of Two Saturdays in São Paulo
The qualifying session at Interlagos delivered sharply contrasting fortunes for the two Britons. For Oliver Bearman, the 20-year-old rising star, it was a day to remember. He propelled his Haas car to a stunning eighth place on the grid, even briefly threatening the front runners in an unexpected challenge for pole position. This strong showing came fresh off the back of his career-best fourth-place finish in Mexico City.
For Lewis Hamilton, however, it was a weekend of continued frustration. The Mercedes driver could only manage a spot in the bottom five of Q2, finishing behind rivals Fernando Alonso and Alex Albon. This marked his second early exit in as many days, having been classified 11th in Friday's sprint shootout.
Gloom and a Glimmer of Hope for Hamilton
Speaking to Sky Sports F1's Craig Slater after the session, Hamilton's dejection was palpable. When questioned about his car's setup, he replied bleakly, "Just the way that we had it going today." His outlook for Sunday's main race was equally pessimistic. "Not from where I am. That's the weekend done, pretty much," he stated.
A small silver lining came from his performance in the sprint race itself. Despite the poor qualifying, Hamilton fought through the field on Saturday to claim seventh place, securing valuable points and demonstrating the race pace that might offer a sliver of hope for the Grand Prix.
Class Act Captured on Camera
Despite his personal setback, Hamilton's focus shifted momentarily to celebrate the success of his compatriot. As he left the media pen, Sky Sports F1 cameras captured the poignant moment he sought out Bearman. The veteran champion paused to embrace the younger driver, offering sincere congratulations on another accomplished drive.
Bearman's weekend in Brazil, however, was not without its own drama. During the sprint race, he was involved in an incident with Liam Lawson, for which he received a five-second time penalty for forcing the New Zealander onto the grass at Turn Four. Reflecting on the sprint, Bearman admitted, "It's tough to do much in a sprint when you qualify P15, even if that one was very chaotic."
Meanwhile, there was celebration at Ferrari as Charles Leclerc secured a P3 starting position. "Everything is so close that it goes from being a disaster of a weekend to a really good weekend in a matter of a few hundredths," the Monegasque driver reflected.
The fortunes of both Hamilton and Leclerc would take another turn for the worse on Sunday. Leclerc's race ended on lap six after contact from Oscar Piastri sent Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes into his Ferrari. Hamilton also failed to see the chequered flag, his race ending due to terminal floor damage caused by his own dislodged front wing.
