LEWIS HAMILTON stormed out of an interview after Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix.
The F1 legend was angered by a reporter’s question after finishing ninth at Suzuka.
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Lewis Hamilton stormed out of an interview after the Japanese Grand PrixCredit: Getty
Hamilton’s worst start to an F1 season continued on a disappointing day for Mercedes as Max Verstappen took the chequered flag.
He was then further annoyed by a Ferrari question whilst speaking to a journalist after the race.
The seven-time world champion will leave Mercedes at end of the season and join Ferrari for 2025.
Ferrari pair Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finished third and fourth on Sunday, with the reporter asking Hamilton if he was jealous.
Hamilton snapped back: “Do you have any better questions?”
The reporter apologised but Hamilton walked away before another question could be asked, whilst his press officer simply said: “Thank you.”
In a separate interview, Hamilton said his car had suffered damage after the restart following contact with Leclerc.
He explained: “The car is never what I hoped it would be. It’s never what we hoped it would be.
“I got some damage I think in the first stint at the restart with Charles [Leclerc] and I had massive understeer, like huge, huge understeer.
“So that’s why I decided to let George [Russell] by, because he seemed quicker and I just couldn’t turn the car.
Lewis Hamilton ‘back to normal’ as he out qualifies Mercedes team-mate for first time this season at Japanese GP
“‘It took us two stints to finally dial more and more wing in to make up for that loss. Last stint, I was better, but it was too late, I had 10 seconds to regain.”
Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate George Russell finished two places ahead of him in seventh on Sunday.
The result leaves Russell seventh in the Drivers’ Championship, with Hamilton back in ninth.
Meanwhile, Mercedes are fourth in the Constructors’ standings ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix on April 21.
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