Lewis Hamilton was outperformed by George Russell in qualifying for the third consecutive race.
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell (Credits: Imago)
The seven-time world champion had a surprising start to the 2024 Formula 1 season. The Mercedes driver was surpassed by his British compatriot and teammate in the first three races of the season.
After Hamilton’s unexpected elimination in Q2 in Australia, even at one of his strongest tracks, he seemed to acknowledge that George Russell had the advantage driving the 2024 Mercedes W15 car.
The seven-time world champion seems to be quite uncomfortable with the constant issues of the W15. He also expressed concerns about the lack of speed of the car and the inconsistencies throughout the sessions. With the race taking place tomorrow, it will certainly be interesting to track Hamilton’s progress from P11.
The car seems to be quite unstable throughout the sessions, with drivers frequently discussing its underperformance between sessions. Additionally, the car seems to struggle especially in qualifying laps with low fuel. After Lewis Hamilton’s disappointing exit in Q2, he discussed the qualifying difficulties of the W15 and expressed his lack of understanding, as well as the team’s, regarding the car’s inconsistent performance.
Considering that teammate George Russell managed to reach Q3 and qualify in P7, it is evident that the car is highly unpredictable, especially when compared to the previous free practice session. The Silver Arrows will undoubtedly need to address these issues with the W15 to maximize their performance.
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