THESE TYRES ARE THE PITS

LEWIS HAMILTON lamented his "terrible" hard tyres as a Mercedes strategy gamble failed to deliver at Suzuka.

- Daniel Moxon

Hamilton finished a lowly ninth in Japan, while team-mate George Russell fared only slightly better to cross the line in seventh.

Mercedes gambled on the hard tyres when the race was stopped after a first-lap smash involving Daniel Ricciardo and Alex Albon.

Mercedes Meanwhile, his future.

Ferrari team put Charles Leclerc on the mediums and he flew while the Britons struggled. Hamilton demanded change tack over the radio, but it was too late.

Ferrari finished on the podium, with Carlos Sainz behind race-winner Max Verstappen and Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez, while Leclerc came home fourth.