Lewis Hamilton had a disappointing end to the qualifying session for the Chinese Grand Prix, being eliminated in Q1. Nico Rosberg, Hamilton’s former teammate at Mercedes, provided comments during the weekend and shared his insights on the seven-time world champion. Rosberg sympathized with Hamilton’s elimination in qualifying, considering it a painful experience for the British driver. Hamilton had raised fans’ hopes with a second-place finish in the qualifying race, but an error in the penultimate corner cost him valuable time and led to his elimination. Rosberg noted that wind conditions played a role in Hamilton’s lap time.
Furthermore, Rosberg did not hesitate to criticize Hamilton’s mistakes. He believed it was unnecessary for the seven-time world champion to push the limits of the car and that he should have known better. Rosberg highlighted the loss of four tenths in the corner as a “disaster.”
Despite the disappointing results in qualifying, Rosberg praised Hamilton’s second-place finish in the qualifying race. The 39-year-old driver maximized the potential of the W15 car with below-par performance and secured crucial points. The team remained hopeful for better results in the upcoming sessions, although Hamilton’s 18th place qualifying position made it challenging.
Rosberg emphasized that Hamilton had an exceptional performance in the first qualifying race in China, despite the W15’s issues in slow and long corners. The 39-year-old driver managed to fend off rivals and secure a spot on the podium. Rosberg believed that Hamilton drove even better than his competitors allowed.
The Chinese Grand Prix presents multiple challenges for Hamilton, starting in 18th place on the grid. He will need to fight hard in the lower positions to have a chance to score points. Currently occupying the 9th position in the drivers’ standings, Hamilton runs the risk of falling even further if he fails to score points. Therefore, the seven-time world champion needs a strong performance to secure a more comfortable position.
