Jerermy Clarkson has insisted that Lewis Hamilton’s sudden loss of pace in the Chinese Grand Prix “makes no sense”, with the former Top Gear host having criticised the Ferrari driver for being “so slow”.

Hamilton has endured a bizarre start to his time as a Ferrari F1 driver, having been comfortably off the pace in Australia before finding remarkable speed initially in China.

The seven-time world champion defied the odds to claim sprint pole at the Shanghai International Circuit, which he comfortably converted into sprint victory.

It marked his and Ferrari’s first-ever sprint win, leaving Clarkson hugely impressed by the 40-year-old.

“It’s important to everyone in Formula 1 that Ferrari does well because all the other teams are businesses, and Ferrari is more than that. It’s the heart and it’s the soul,” Clarkson wrote in his The Sun newspaper column.

“It was crucial then that the team’s new boy, Lewis Hamilton, came out of the traps like he’d been fired from a gun.

“And how good would that be if it happened in China, in front of a crowd that thinks he’s a god. And blow me down, it did.

“For the sprint race in Shanghai last weekend, the elder statesman took pole position and then cruised away from the pack to win the race as well.”

Hamilton from ‘hero to zero’

Unfortunately, Hamilton’s sprint victory was quickly forgotten about 24 hours later in Shanghai, following the disqualification of both Ferrari drivers from the grand prix.

Hamilton was disqualified after the race due to the plank underneath his SF-25 having suffered excessive wear, whilst Charles Leclerc’s car was underweight.

However, even without the disqualification, it had been a disappointing race for Hamilton who finished in sixth.

It was a difficult race for the 105-time race winner, who allowed Leclerc past during the grand prix as a result of recognising his pace was slower.

What happened to Hamilton’s speed confused Clarkson, having been so impressed by his sprint performance.

“What’s interesting, and troubling, is that a few hours later, having created headlines around the world, Lewis could only qualify for the main event in fifth,” continued Clarkson.

“And in the race itself, he was so slow he let his team-mate overtake. And then he was disqualified.

“How is that possible? I can understand that a car might be quick at one track and the following weekend, at a different track, be useless.

“But to go from hero to zero at the same track? On the same day? It makes no sense.”