Lewis Hamilton’s weekend at the United States Grand Prix took a sharp downturn as his Mercedes ended up in the gravel just two laps into the race. Despite his strong history in Austin, where he typically shines, Hamilton faced a series of misfortunes that compounded into a frustrating weekend for the seven-time Formula 1 world champion.

The trouble began on Friday when Hamilton, coming off a promising practice session, faltered in his efforts to secure pole position. His difficulties persisted into the Sprint race, where he started seventh and struggled to make significant progress through the field. This was followed by an even more disappointing qualifying performance for the main race, where he finished in 19th place – marking his first-ever Q1 elimination at the United States Grand Prix, a rare low point in his career on American soil.

As the lights went out for the main race, Hamilton initially appeared to be on a comeback trail. He had a rapid start, jumping from 19th on the grid to 12th by the second lap, giving hope that he might salvage the weekend with a strong drive. However, those hopes were short-lived when Hamilton lost control of his car, the rear slipping out and sending him spinning off the track. His car veered into a gravel trap, coming to a stop before it could hit the barriers. Though the damage to the car was minimal, Hamilton found himself unable to get out of the gravel, with the wheels spinning uselessly as he tried to rejoin the race.

Speaking to his team via radio, Hamilton acknowledged his mistake, apologizing to the Mercedes crew with a simple, “Sorry guys.” This effectively ended his race just moments after it had begun, capping off what had been a weekend full of struggles for the British driver.

Hamilton’s spin triggered the deployment of the safety car for the first time in 10 races, breaking a streak that had lasted since early in the season. The chaotic start to the Grand Prix saw several incidents, with Hamilton’s early exit standing out as a particularly dramatic turn of events. Despite the relatively minor damage to his car, his hopes for redemption at one of his favorite circuits were dashed.