Lewis Hamilton will start his last Grand Prix with Mercedes at the back of the pack in Abu Dhabi.
George Russell claimed seventh position for qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a meager consolation prize for Mercedes. The German team, although looking for a worthy exit for Lewis Hamilton, missed the boat spectacularly. According to Russell, his teammate’s W15 seemed more capable throughout the weekend.
“I feel some relief, but I remain perplexed. We were far from the mark, except at the start of the weekendRussell said after his session. Lewis was faster than me, but a team mistake ruined everything for him. It’s frustrating for his last race with us.”
Despite everything, Russell is hoping for a competitive race thanks to tight gaps between the competitors.
Hamilton, eliminated and bitter
Lewis Hamilton, for his part, experienced a nightmarish qualification. Eliminated in Q1 with the 18th fastest time, he will finally start in 16th position after the application of penalties to other drivers. For his last race with Mercedes, the seven-time world champion hoped for a result much more worthy of his record.
“This kind of situation is difficult to accepthe admitted. I gave everything, as did the team, but we lacked timing. I was the last car on the track, and in the end, I hit a bollard. It destroyed the aerodynamic downforce, and everything turned upside down.”
Hamilton, visibly moved, also expressed his gratitude to his team: “Every moment this weekend is special for me, but I would have liked to offer one last podium to this team which has given me so much. Now, it would take a miracle for tomorrow, but I remain ready to fight.”
Wolff explodes with anger
Toto Wolff, Mercedes director, did not hide his frustration after this poor performance. Visibly furious, he called the team’s mistake “d’inexcusable”.
“What happened is simply unacceptable. Lewis deserved a proper exit, not this disasterhe said. We wanted to give everything for him, and a stupid mistake compromised everything. This is not what a world-class team represents.”
Wolff also criticized the risk the team took in executing the strategy: “Sometimes you have to play it safe. This was not the time to try to be too smart. This mistake is a shame for the team and an undignified way to say goodbye to a champion like Lewis.”
Hamilton’s revenge?
Despite a distant start, Hamilton could benefit from an aggressive strategy or intervention by the safety car to hope to move up the rankings. But this start at the back of the pack for his last weekend with Mercedes will, whatever happens, leave a bitter taste for the entire team.
