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Hamilton’s Final Mercedes Qualifying Ends in Heartbreak After Bollard Mishap: “We need to apologize to Lewis, we made a mistake”

Publisher by Publisher
December 8, 2024
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 3 mins read
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Hamilton’s Final Mercedes Qualifying Ends in Heartbreak After Bollard Mishap: “We need to apologize to Lewis, we made a mistake”

Formula One F1 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - December 6, 2024 Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton during practice REUTERS/Jakub Porzycki

Lewis Hamilton’s final qualifying session with Mercedes ended in bitter disappointment as the seven-time world champion was eliminated in Q1 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. A promising weekend turned disastrous when Hamilton’s Mercedes struck a plastic bollard dislodged by Kevin Magnussen, ruining his final lap and leaving him 16th on the grid for Sunday’s race.


“We Let Him Down,” Admits Toto Wolff

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff took full responsibility for the strategic misstep that left Hamilton out of position for the season finale. Wolff acknowledged that the team erred in sending Hamilton out late in the session, giving him no margin for error.

“We need to apologize to Lewis and everyone in the team who has worked so hard,” Wolff said. “He has been quick across all three practice sessions and was looking good for a strong result. Sadly, we totally let him down. We made the mistake of not sending the drivers out early enough.”

Hamilton’s elimination was compounded by frustration over what might have been. Having shown competitive pace in practice, the Mercedes driver had high hopes of challenging for a spot on the front rows.

“It’s really frustrating,” Hamilton admitted. “I think we could have been up there with a strong shot at the first couple of rows, given how the car felt in practice.”


An Emotional Farewell Season

This underwhelming qualifying result is a disappointing note in what has been a challenging farewell season for Hamilton at Mercedes. Set to join Ferrari in 2025, the emotional toll of racing his final year with the team has weighed heavily on the Briton.

“Underestimating the emotional strain of this season was my mistake,” Hamilton said earlier this week. “Mercedes has been my family for over a decade, and leaving is harder than I expected.”

Hamilton’s anticipated P7 finish in the Drivers’ Championship will mark his worst season-ending position since his rookie campaign in 2007.


Looking Ahead to the Race

Despite the setback, Hamilton remains optimistic about making progress in the race. Grid penalties for other drivers have bumped him up to 16th, and he will aim to capitalize on Mercedes’ race pace, which has been strong throughout practice.

“We’ve seen all season that we can make up ground on Sundays,” Hamilton noted. “It’s not the way I wanted to start my final race with Mercedes, but I’ll give it everything I’ve got to finish on a high.”


Mercedes’ Mixed Fortunes

While Hamilton faces an uphill battle, teammate George Russell will start from sixth after qualifying seventh. The contrast underscores a season of highs and lows for Mercedes, with flashes of competitiveness overshadowed by missed opportunities and inconsistency.


End of an Era

As Hamilton prepares for his final race in the silver colors of Mercedes, the Abu Dhabi GP symbolizes the end of a historic partnership that has defined Formula 1’s modern era. With seven world titles and countless victories, Hamilton and Mercedes have left an indelible mark on the sport.

The challenge for Sunday will be to close this chapter with a performance befitting his legendary status, even if circumstances have made the task more difficult than expected.

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