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Lewis Hamilton’s admission that he “didn’t do the job” had a significant impact on the outcome of the recent qualifying session. Despite showing impressive pace in Q2, Hamilton made two critical errors in Q3 which ultimately led to him finishing in 10th place. This set off a “domino effect” that resulted in his teammate George Russell securing pole position.
In Q2, Hamilton was the fastest of all drivers, clocking a time of 1:32.567 to edge out Carlos Sainz of Ferrari. He seemed to be a strong contender for pole position, but things quickly went downhill in Q3. On his initial flying lap, Hamilton ran into trouble at Turn 9 when the rear axle of his Mercedes failed to engage. This forced him to abandon the lap and head to the pits for fresh tires.
As Hamilton began his second flying lap, he encountered another issue at Turn 2, causing the rear of his car to become detached once again. Despite his efforts to regain control, he was unable to complete the lap, resulting in a disappointing 10th place finish. Had he been able to replicate his Q2 time, he would have started in third place on the grid.
Hamilton expressed his disappointment after the session, acknowledging that he had failed to fulfill his duties. He attributed his struggles to a lack of stability in the car, which was especially noticeable in Q3. However, he remained optimistic about his overall pace, declaring that he still had the speed to compete at the highest level.
This latest setback in qualifying adds to Hamilton’s recent struggles against his teammate George Russell, who has outperformed him 17-5 in Grand Prix qualifying sessions. Despite his improved race pace, Hamilton admitted that he made a mistake during the session that compromised his performance.
One of the key issues for Hamilton was the condition of the tires, which he found challenging to manage. He acknowledged that his decision to conduct a preparation lap may have been a mistake, leading to a series of errors that impacted his overall performance.
Hamilton also commented on the changing track conditions, noting that as the surface became grippier and faster, it became more difficult to maintain stability in the car. He attributed his struggles in Q3 to this instability, but remained unsure of the exact cause.
Despite the disappointment of missing out on pole position, Hamilton maintained a positive attitude, emphasizing the importance of pace without errors in the session. He expressed his desire to be at the front of the grid but acknowledged the strengths of his teammate George Russell.
Looking ahead, Hamilton is determined to bounce back from this setback and continue to push for strong results in future races. He remains confident in his abilities and the potential of the Mercedes team, despite the challenges faced in the recent qualifying session.
