Out in Q1, Hamilton deplores poor timing management

Although he did not necessarily expect to take pole position in Abu Dhabi, Lewis Hamilton probably didn't imagine he would be out of the door in Q1. However, that is indeed the reality.

For his last qualification with Mercedes, nothing went as planned for the seven-time world champion. Forced to work hard to secure his place in Q2, the Englishman saw his team play with the limits of the clock to send him back on track. Just passed but among the last, the future driver Ferrari was unable to make his final attempt under optimal conditions.

Worse, a pin hit by Kevin Magnussen at the exit of turn 14 came to lodge itself under the W15 which made him lose performance for the end of his lap. He was thus unable to do better than the 18th time ending his qualifying adventure with Mercedes on a false note.

« This is the luck I have… he joked about the keel incident. But that's how it is. We worked so much on the set-up that we managed to improve the car. It seemed to work in FP3. I thought then that a podium was really possible this weekend.

Then we didn't optimize the timing during qualifying. I was last on the track and I ended up behind one of the Alpine in the end, which made me waste time. » Objective now raised for Lewis Hamilton who has already “won” two positions thanks to Alex’s penalties Albon et Charles Leclerc. Only 13 left before a possible podium.

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