Lewis Hamilton’s difficult 2024 season took another hit at the United States Grand Prix as the seven-time world champion faced a disastrous Q1 elimination, citing a front suspension failure on his Mercedes W15 chassis. Hamilton is set to start the race from a dismal P18 on the grid, a far cry from his championship-winning glory, and has openly admitted that he may be forced to start from the pit lane due to the extent of the damage.
The incident occurred during the formation lap ahead of the Sprint race, where Hamilton noticed a significant issue with the front suspension of his car. Despite pushing through the Sprint session and finishing sixth behind his teammate George Russell, Hamilton described the car as a “nightmare” to drive, expressing doubts about its race-day performance.
“We had a front suspension failure on the formation lap before the Sprint, which I had to drive with in the Sprint,” Hamilton revealed after his disappointing Q1 session. “I think I’ll be starting from the pit lane tomorrow as the car is a nightmare.”
The setback continues a frustrating season for Hamilton, who has faced consistent struggles with the W15 chassis, particularly when compared to his earlier dominant seasons. With fans voicing their disappointment over his early qualifying exit, the Briton was candid about the car’s performance issues.
Despite a more promising FP1 session, where Mercedes put in competitive lap times, the team’s fortunes took a nosedive in Sprint qualifying and the Sprint race. Hamilton, reflecting on the mixed performances, admitted confusion over the car’s handling, especially after it had felt more competitive in Friday’s practice sessions.
“The car felt good yesterday, so this problem was definitely confusing,” Hamilton noted. “I had an issue with the rear, while my teammate had problems with the front left. It was slightly warmer, but it’s hard to pinpoint what went wrong.”
With a start from the back of the grid or potentially the pit lane, Hamilton faces an uphill battle to salvage any points from the race. His hopes of claiming a seventh win on American soil have all but evaporated, and his result could deal a heavy blow to Mercedes’ ongoing fight with Ferrari for third place in the Constructors’ Championship.
The pressure now mounts on Hamilton and Mercedes to find a way forward as the season draws to a close, with opportunities to challenge the top teams slipping further away.
