Wolff criticises 'INEXCUSABLE' Hamilton mistake at Abu Dhabi

Wolff criticises ‘INEXCUSABLE’ Hamilton mistake at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix……read more

Toto Wolff has expressed his disappointment and frustration with a costly mistake that led to Lewis Hamilton’s early exit from qualifying at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The blunder during the final qualifying session of the season has overshadowed Hamilton’s final race with Mercedes, as his 12-year partnership with the team comes to an end. Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, is set to join Ferrari in 2025, marking a significant shift in the Formula 1 landscape. Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, did not mince words in his criticism of the error, which left Hamilton starting from 17th on the grid after a penalty for Charles Leclerc.

Hamilton’s performance in the 2024 season has been less than stellar, especially in comparison to his past achievements with Mercedes. Despite being a dominant force in Formula 1 for over a decade, the 39-year-old has found the current season challenging. Of the 24 races so far, Hamilton has been outqualified by his teammate George Russell on 19 occasions. With just two victories to his name, one at Silverstone and another at Spa, Hamilton has struggled to keep up with the Red Bulls and other competitors, resulting in him sitting 7th in the drivers’ standings, far from the heights of previous seasons.

While the season has been underwhelming, Hamilton entered the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with a positive attitude, determined to finish his Mercedes career on a high note. However, his qualifying session on Saturday turned out to be a major disappointment. Hamilton, who had shown promising pace in the practice sessions leading up to qualifying, was sent out late during Q1, leaving him with little time to complete his flying lap. This late decision forced Hamilton to navigate traffic as he attempted to set his fastest lap, and he ended up being eliminated from Q1, which was a huge shock given his history and experience in the sport.

Wolff, visibly upset by the mistake, acknowledged that the team’s error had cost Hamilton a much-needed opportunity to fight for a better grid position. He revealed that Hamilton was on a setup that was faster than his teammate’s, chosen partly to experiment for the 2025 season. Despite this advantage, the team’s mismanagement of timing in Q1 meant Hamilton was not given the chance to capitalize on it, and he found himself at the back of the grid for the race. The Mercedes team principal called the situation “idiotic” and labeled the mistake as “inexcusable.” He expressed regret for letting Hamilton down in such a crucial moment, especially given the effort that Hamilton and the entire team had invested in preparing for the race.

“I just need to apologize to Lewis, also to everyone on the team who worked so hard to make it a great end for him,” Wolff told Sky Sports after the qualifying session. His tone was one of frustration and disappointment, as he reflected on the situation. “He was the quicker guy with that kind of setup that we chose on the car, also to experiment for next year, and we totally let him down.” Wolff further stated that the decision not to send Hamilton out earlier in the session was a mistake that could have been easily avoided, and he admitted that it was difficult to come to terms with how things unfolded.

The incident highlights the tensions and challenges faced by Mercedes during what has been a turbulent final season for Hamilton with the team. Despite his setbacks, Hamilton has remained resilient, but the qualifying blunder added to the frustrations of a season that many would rather forget. The Mercedes team had hoped to give Hamilton a fitting send-off, but the events of qualifying have left a sour taste. With his future in Formula 1 now looking ahead to Ferrari, the qualifying mishap at Abu Dhabi will undoubtedly be remembered as a bitter conclusion to his long and successful partnership with Mercedes.

As Hamilton looks forward to a new chapter in his career, the focus shifts to the race itself. Though his grid position is not ideal, Hamilton remains hopeful that Mercedes’ strong race pace, which he had hinted at during practice, could help him move through the field and salvage a respectable result. Nonetheless, the qualifying error and Wolff’s strong reaction underline the difficult end to an era that had once been defined by dominance and success.