Lewis Hamilton mentioned he’s “counting down the times” till the tip of the season after he completed a distant seventh in Saturday’s shortened race in Brazil.

Max Verstappen took his fourth dash victory from six this 12 months after he beat pole-sitter Lando Norris to the opening bend.

Norris completed runner-up, 4.2 seconds adrift, with Verstappen’s Crimson Bull team-mate Sergio Perez third.

Performances on the earlier two rounds had afforded Hamilton and Mercedes hope that they’re closing the hole to Verstappen’s all-conquering Crimson Bull staff. However on Saturday, they had been dealt a actuality verify.

After simply 24 laps, Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell, who completed fourth, was 26 seconds behind Verstappen. Hamilton was even additional again – 35 seconds adrift within the different Mercedes.

“The final couple of races now we have been excited that now we have been progressing, and it has been optimistic to see,” mentioned Hamilton, who completed second in Austin – earlier than he was disqualified after his Mercedes failed a post-race scrutineering verify – and runner-up once more in Mexico seven days later, this time with a authorized automobile.

“However you then come to a different observe and I’ve the worst tyre degradation I’ve had for ages, so that you simply don’t know what to anticipate.

“It was a really robust race. We bought a superb begin after which I attempted to get the proper steadiness. However I had a variety of understeer, snap oversteer, and the rear tyres dropped off.

“There are solely a few extra races with this automobile after which it’s completed, so I might be comfortable. I’m simply counting down the times.”

Hamilton has three makes an attempt remaining – right here in Sunday’s 71-lap Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi – to keep away from a second winless season.

On Sunday, it can mark 700 days since he final entered the winner’s circle – on the penultimate spherical of the 2021 season in Abu Dhabi.

Throughout that very same interval, Verstappen has notched up 32 victories – the identical quantity as Fernando Alonso managed all through his whole profession. And the Dutchman would be the favorite to increase his outstanding successful streak when he strains up from pole on Sunday. Hamilton begins fifth.

“It was a bruising day,” mentioned Mercedes staff principal Toto Wolff. “I don’t assume that there’s a magic screw you possibly can flip after which the whole lot is fastened.

“Every little thing went in opposition to us. We have to actually scratch our heads arduous over what we are able to do for tomorrow, and enhance.”

Hamilton was fifth on the grid and moved up one place on the primary lap following a nice transfer spherical the surface of Perez at Flip 4.

However the Mexican moved again forward 4 laps later earlier than Hamilton was gazumped by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and the AlphaTauri of Yuki Tsunoda within the closing laps. Perez prolonged his lead over Hamilton within the race for championship runner-up from 20 factors to 24.

For Norris, his bid to win for the primary time in System One was over within the blink of an eye fixed after he was out-gunned by Verstappen firstly.

Norris loved an honest getaway, however he didn’t cowl off the within line, permitting Verstappen to sling his Crimson Bull by.

“I have to overview my begin,” mentioned Norris. “My preliminary section was good however perhaps I used to be too conservative and on the protected aspect.

“There are a variety of shoulda, coulda, wouldas. I’m feeling very snug within the automobile however there are issues I have to work on, and I’m engaged on them.”