David Croft has revealed Lewis Hamilton apologised to Sky Sports presenter Rachel Brookes ‘off-camera’ after his uncharacteristically unresponsive and downcast post-race interview in Spain.
The seven-time world champion currently in his debut season with Ferrari endured the “worst experience” at the 2025 F1 Spanish Grand Prix after struggling to make ground throughout the race.
Despite qualifying a respectable fifth—matching his best grid position for Ferrari—Hamilton’s race unraveled quickly, putting his hopes for a podium finish in doubt.
The British driver struggled for pace throughout the opening phase of the race and was soon instructed to let Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc through, ultimately finishing a distant sixth while Leclerc claimed yet another podium for the Scuderia.
Hamilton’s disappointment was clearly evident with his notably subdued demeanor during post-race interview with Sky Sports presenter Rachel Brookes.
When asked about the car’s performance and race strategy, he offered little more than curt responses, repeatedly stating: “Not particularly. It was just not a great day. Strategy was good, the team did a great job, just… that’s it.”
Brookes, known for her empathetic interviewing style tried to encourage Hamilton, expressing her concern at seeing him so downcast: “I hate seeing you in this mood, it’s hard seeing you in this mood.”
Hamilton, however, remained closed off replying: “It was just not a great day, I’ve got nothing to say. It was terrible. There’s no point explaining it. It’s not your fault, but what else is there to say?”
Brookes admitted she hopes Ferrari will be able to find a fix for his woes, but Hamilton said: “I’m sure they won’t, the answer is probably just me.“
The exchange quickly became a talking point across social media and within the paddock with many observers noting how uncharacteristic it was for Hamilton to be so withdrawn, especially in front of the cameras.
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The pressure of a winless streak with Ferrari, coupled with being consistently outperformed by Leclerc, appeared to weigh heavily on him.
Hamilton had openly admitted to being at a loss to explain his struggles, describing the Spanish Grand Prix as “the worst experience” he’s had with the car and conceding there were “zero positives” to take from the race.
In the aftermath, Sky Sports commentator David Croft revealed on the Fast and The Curious podcast that Hamilton had sought out Rachel Brookes off-camera to apologize for his demeanor during the interview.
“[Hamilton] was really down on himself,” Croft said. “And no one likes to see that because at the end of the day, whether you’re a fan or not, Lewis Hamilton is the greatest racing driver we’ve ever seen.
“Statistically, he is the greatest. I think he’s the greatest even without the stats. He wears his heart on his sleeve and should be applauded for that because it does a lot of good when he wears his heart on his sleeve.
“Lewis Hamilton apologised to Rachel Brookes for being so down in the dumps off camera. He said, ‘I’m really sorry about that. I’m just so down.’
“And that just shows the extent that he really was down. He’s not putting this on for the cameras, trust me. And once again, it’s right after the race. He’s not had time for a debrief. He’s not had time to have a chat with his race engineer.
“So he probably didn’t know the extent of whatever damage the car had at the time he spoke to Rachel. And he probably didn’t realise that it was the car that was hindering him more so than his driving in that one.
“And look, when you’re in a Ferrari and you’re overtaken by Nico Hülkenberg, albeit in a Ferrari-powered Sauber, you’re going to question, ‘Is it me really? Am I doing something wrong here?’ Because it just didn’t go for him really from the outset.”
Hamilton’s apology and the circumstances surrounding it have ignited a broader conversation about the mental and emotional toll of elite sport, particularly when expectations are sky-high.
The British driver’s move to Ferrari was supposed to be a fairytale chapter yet the reality has been a season of frustration and introspection. While Hamilton has managed to outqualify Leclerc on occasion, he has rarely matched his teammate’s race pace.
In Spain, a slow pit stop compounded his difficulties and a late safety car offered little respite as he was overtaken by Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber, ultimately crossing the line in sixth place.
