“Honestly, at this point it is what it is,” says Lewis Hamilton after a second successive Q2 exit in closing qualy of the season; George Russell fourth with rivals Ferrari second and sixteenth; watch the Abu Dhabi GP reside on Sky Sports activities F1 at 1pm on Sunday; build-up from 11.30am
Final Up to date: 25/11/23 5:13pm
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Lewis Hamilton struggles to clarify his issues in qualifying, insisting there may be ‘one thing not proper’ along with his automobile this weekend.
Lewis Hamilton struggles to clarify his issues in qualifying, insisting there may be ‘one thing not proper’ along with his automobile this weekend.
Lewis Hamilton felt one thing was amiss along with his Mercedes on the Abu Dhabi GP after he did not make the highest 10 in qualifying for the second successive weekend, with crew boss Toto Wolff admitting he’s “fed up” with attempting to clarify the W14’s unpredictable type forward of its closing race outing.
On a weekend they’re in a decent battle with Ferrari for second place within the Constructors’ Championship, with Mercedes heading into Sunday’s season-ending race with a slender four-point benefit, they certified fourth with George Russell and eleventh with Hamilton beneath the Yas Marina floodlights after the previous had impressively topped closing follow within the earlier day-time session.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc certified on the entrance row however one solace for Mercedes is that though Hamilton dropped out in Q2, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz did not clear Q1 and can begin sixteenth.
For Hamilton, it was contemporary frustration in qualifying after he additionally completed solely eleventh in final week’s corresponding session in Las Vegas.
“Not great. Just struggling with balance,” Hamilton informed Sky Sports activities F1.
“I don’t have any answers. Honestly, at this point it is what it is.
“We set our vehicles up the identical however they do not learn the identical so there’s one thing not proper on our aspect. I am positive we are going to deep dive into it however I have been off all weekend, we’ve struggled with the automobile.”
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Lewis Hamilton was knocked out of Q2 by Mercedes teammate George Russell at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
It is the first time since 2014 that Hamilton has failed to make the top 10 in qualifying for two races running.
“Two 11ths…it takes some good going for me to not get into Q3, so I’ll attempt to transfer my means up [in the race],” he added.
Unlike Russell, who has looked the more comfortable Mercedes driver all weekend, Wolff said Hamilton had “simply no grip” throughout Saturday’s running.
Russell had impressively topped final practice in the warmer day-time conditions but slipped to fourth in the qualifying hour, 0.343s off the pace.
“FP3 was even, I’d say, dominant. Norris might have most likely been there, and would have in qualifying by the best way,” said Wolff, Mercedes’ team principal.
“It simply did not come collectively. In all probability that is what was within the automobile. Expectations had been larger.
“I’m fed up with having explanations on why it didn’t go well. We were good in the hot, we weren’t in the cold. Previous days it has been the other way around.
“I am comfortable this was the final qualifying of the season and we are going to include a brand new automobile [in 2024].”
Unwell Russell ranges Hamilton head-to-head however felt Merc would have extra
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Mercedes’ Toto Wolff and driver George Russell reflect on a successful Qualifying session after securing P4 ahead of the Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi.
The younger Briton had appeared the Mercedes driver more likely to qualify in the higher position through Saturday and duly delivered with fourth place, ensuring he levelled the qualifying head-to-head with seven-time champion Hamilton for 2023 at 11-11.
“I have been actually sick the final two weeks and I have been actually, actually fast so I do not know if I should be extra sick extra usually, or what’s,” Russell told Sky Sports F1.
“However the final two weeks I’ve felt tremendous comfy within the automobile, had about on common three hours sleep per evening, so possibly that’s the secret everyone is lacking.
“I don’t know, it’s mixed feelings right now. We definitely would have taken P4 ahead of the weekend but after this morning’s performance we were quickest every single lap and we only improved six tenths from practice to qualifying. Considering it was much colder, we had much less fuel in the car, we didn’t make the jump we should have. So that was a little bit disappointing.”
Sky Sports activities F1’s reside Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Sunday November 26
- 9.10am: F2 Function Race
- 11.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday Abu Dhabi GP build-up
- 1pm: The ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
- 3pm: Chequered Flag: Abu Dhabi GP response
- 4pm: Ted’s Pocket book
After the thrills of Las Vegas, Formulation 1 heads to Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit for the 2023 season finale and one other gorgeous spectacle beneath the lights. Watch the Abu Dhabi weekend reside on Sky Sports activities F1, with lights out on Sunday at 1pm. Stream F1 on Sky Sports with NOW
