LEWIS HAMILTON was ready to quit Mercedes with three races of the season still to go.
Britain’s seven-time world champ endured the lowest couple of days of his glittering Formula 1 career in Brazil a fortnight ago.
He slammed his car as “the worst it’s ever been” after what he described as a “disaster of a weekend”.
Hamilton finished tenth in the rain-lashed Sao Paulo Grand Prix having crossed the line 11th in the Interlagos sprint race 24 hours earlier.
The 39-year-old — who joins Ferrari next season — then uttered a cryptic remark to his mechanics over the team radio.
He said: “If this is the last time I get to perform it was a shame it wasn’t great but I’m grateful for you.”
Hamilton later remarked he “could happily go and take a holiday”.
Mercedes tried to play down the driver’s comments.
But ahead of Sunday’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, Hamilton revealed he was genuinely ready to quit Toto Wolff’s Brackley-based team early as his 12-year Mercedes career threatened to burn out with a whimper.
He said: “In the moment that’s how I felt, like I didn’t really want to come back after that weekend. That’s only natural.
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“It’s frustrating when you have a season like this, which I’m pretty sure I won’t have again, or at least I’ll work towards not having again.
“It wasn’t a great feeling in that moment, but I’m here.
“I’m standing strong and I’m going to give it absolutely everything for these last few races.”
Hamilton finished 50 seconds behind winner Max Verstappen in Brazil — even though Red Bull’s triple world champ started behind him on the grid — and 27sec adrift of team-mate George Russell, who crossed the line in fourth.
Despite ending a 2½-year winless streak at the British Grand Prix in July, Hamilton is seventh in the world championship, 203 points behind Verstappen.
While he sits a place and two points back from Russell.
Hamilton was asked about Mercedes boss Wolff saying he “liked” that the Brit chose to leave the team as it may have stopped him from possibly having to get rid of him at a later date.
Wolff also spoke of Hamilton having a “shelf life” in Mercedes’ all-access book Inside Mercedes F1: Life in the Fast Lane.
When Hamilton was asked if he felt he had a point to prove, the racer who has won six of his seven world crowns at Mercedes, replied: “No. Just me being here, standing tall, I feel strong. I’ve been training well, I feel great.
“Honestly, I feel in the best place I’ve been all year mentally and considering how bad the last race was, that says enough.
“I’ve been around this game for a long time.
“There have been so many things said about me, so many micro-aggressions.
“Not from my boss, because he’s been supportive all these years and we’ve achieved a lot together, but in general and through it all, nothing can take me down.
“I’m still here, still fighting and I’m going to continue to push.
“I’ve got a team I genuinely still love and even though I am leaving I want to make sure I give them the best I can in these next races.
“If they provide a car that wants to stay on track then, hopefully, we’ll have a better result.”
