Lewis Hamilton has again clashed with the race stewards after he was hit with a five-second penalty to add to his abhorrent weekend in Brazil.
The honorary Brazilian was fuming on his team radio after an opening lap clash with Alpine’s Franco Colapinto caused the Ferrari driver to cop a time penalty.
“These guys are a joke. A complete joke,” said the seven-time world champion on his team radio.
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The stewards deemed him “wholly responsible” for crashing into the back of Colapinto and also took one point from Hamilton’s super licence for the collision.
The 40-year-old eventually retired from the grand prix on lap 40 after he broke his front wing and his car was unable to continue with irreparable damage.
Speaking after the race, Hamilton called it “a weekend to forget” for the Scuderia.
“I mean, jeez, this is definitely a weekend to forget,” he lamented.
Franco Colapinto of Argentina leads Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain. Getty
“This is a nightmare, and I’ve been living it for a while,” he added after his qualifying performance that saw him start from 13th on the grid.
“The flip between the dream of driving for this amazing team (Ferrari), and then the nightmare of results that we’ve had, the ups and downs, it is challenging.”
It is not the first time Hamilton has clashed with the race stewards and their penalty rulings in recent races.
This is the second time penalty that Hamilton has picked up in as many races.
In Mexico he was slapped with a 10-second penalty for “gaining a lasting advantage” off the track after a skirmish with Max Verstappen.
After the Mexico City Grand Prix, he argued that race stewards needed “transparency and accountability” in the decisions.
He believed there needed to be clearer rules on the everchanging lenience given to drivers on the opening laps of the race.
“There isn’t any clarity and I think that’s probably part of the bigger issue,” he argued.
Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari. Â LAT Images
“Transparency and accountability. And also the secrecy that the decisions are made in.
“I don’t know if they’re aware of the weight of their decisions. They ultimately steer careers.
“Can decide results of championships, as you’ve seen in the past. Some work needs to be done there, I’m sure.”
Hamilton is now without a top-three finish in 21 appearances for Ferrari and his team have slipped down the constructors’ championship order into fourth after both Charles Leclerc and Hamilton failed to finish in Interlagos.
Formula 1 will resume racing in Las Vegas on November 21.