Just in:Wolff criticises ‘INEXCUSABLE’ Hamilton mistake at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix… Read more
Wolff criticises ‘INEXCUSABLE’ Hamilton mistake at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix… Read more
Toto Wolff has openly criticized a costly mistake that led to Lewis Hamilton’s shock early exit in qualifying for the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, calling it “idiotic” and “inexcusable.” The blunder occurred in a qualifying session where Hamilton, who had been one of the fastest in practice, was eliminated in Q1, leaving him with a disappointing 17th-place start. The error marks another low in what has been a difficult season for the seven-time world champion and his team, Mercedes.
Hamilton’s 2024 season has been far from the dominant performances fans are used to seeing. With 24 races contested so far, the 39-year-old driver has only managed two victories, at Silverstone and Spa, in what has otherwise been a forgettable year. Out of those 24 races, Hamilton has been outqualified by his teammate George Russell on 19 occasions, a stark contrast to their previous years of success. Currently sitting 7th in the drivers’ championship standings, Hamilton has had to endure an underwhelming final season with Mercedes.
Despite this, Hamilton has remained upbeat during the Abu Dhabi GP weekend, hoping to end his 12-year partnership with Mercedes on a high note. However, during Saturday’s qualifying, things took a dramatic turn for the worse. While he had shown solid pace in practice, Hamilton’s chances in Q1 were undermined by a crucial error in the timing of his final flying lap. Mercedes sent him out at the very end of the session, and he barely managed to complete a lap before the session concluded, getting stuck behind a pack of slower cars.
The result was that Hamilton was eliminated from Q1, a shocking turn of events for a driver of his caliber, leaving him to start the race from 17th on the grid. His teammate Russell fared better and progressed to Q3, but Hamilton’s race prospects were left hanging by a thread. The fact that Charles Leclerc was penalized, which would promote Hamilton one place up the grid, did little to mask the disappointment of the mistake.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who has been a close collaborator with Hamilton throughout their championship-winning years, expressed his frustration over the mistake. In an interview with Sky Sports, Wolff did not hold back his criticism, stating that the team had “totally let [Hamilton] down.” He admitted that Mercedes had failed to capitalize on the strong setup that Hamilton had been working with, which had shown promising potential for the race.
Wolff described the blunder as “idiotic” and said it was “inexcusable.” He also noted that Hamilton had been the quicker of the two drivers in terms of race setup and that the mistake during qualifying represented the worst part of the weekend for him. “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 said, acknowledging the emotional weight of the error given that this was Hamilton’s final race with Mercedes before his planned switch to Ferrari in 2025. “We should have gone earlier; this was completely avoidable,” Wolff concluded.
This setback during qualifying underscores the broader struggles Mercedes has faced in 2024. Despite the team’s consistent success over the past decade, this season has been a significant disappointment, both for the team and for Hamilton. In what is expected to be his final race with Mercedes, there was hope that the team could deliver a strong result to send their legendary driver off with a fitting conclusion to their partnership. Instead, the team’s failure to manage Hamilton’s qualifying session has cast a shadow over what should have been a celebratory occasion.
As for Hamilton, the seven-time world champion seemed resolute in his belief that the team could still perform well in the race itself, despite the difficult grid position. Mercedes had shown strong race pace in practice, and Hamilton expressed confidence that he could make up places during the race. Still, the damage was done, and Wolff’s frustration reflected the gravity of the situation, as Mercedes failed to give Hamilton the farewell performance he deserved in his final weekend with the team.
In the context of the larger picture, this mistake highlights the ongoing challenges Mercedes has faced throughout the 2024 season, as they work to make up ground on dominant rivals Red Bull. However, as the season draws to a close, Hamilton and Mercedes will likely look to regroup and refocus for the future, as the seven-time champion prepares for a new chapter of his career with Ferrari in 2025.
About The Author
