Disastrous Qatar F1 race “could have been worse”

Lewis Hamilton endured a torrid run to twelfth place within the Qatar Grand Prix in an understeering Mercedes, though among the injury was self-inflicted owing to a false begin and a pitlane rushing penalty.

Hamilton additionally picked up a puncture mid-race and, within the ultimate laps, requested the group if he may ‘field’ the automotive and retire – solely to alter his thoughts when he bought the go-ahead.

“It may have been worse, however I completed and it is over,” he mentioned. “That was me initially. After which the puncture was actually unlucky. And the pitlane, that was me as effectively.

“I am going to do my greatest, however I am going to get again up tomorrow and provides it one other shot.”  

Hamilton began sixth, together with his Mercedes team-mate George Russell on pole. Regardless of leaping the beginning, Hamilton misplaced positions to Carlos Sainz, Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso on the opening lap.

Each Mercedes drivers started to complain about what group boss Toto Wolff later referred to as “horrendous understeer” and, though Hamilton handed Alonso to run eighth after the primary security automotive restart, he slipped again from the main pack and was unable to problem Perez.

On lap 34, he picked up a front-left puncture similtaneously Ferrari’s Sainz, resulting in hypothesis that each have been attributable to a particles discipline left on the primary straight when Valtteri Bottas ran over a wing mirror which had fallen off Alex Albon’s Williams.

Nonetheless, each Hamilton and Sainz have recommended that different objects, similar to gravel and kerbs, may have performed a component for the reason that front-left tyres – closely careworn on this circuit – have been on the restrict of damage at this level within the race.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15

Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photographs

Hamilton served his five-second penalty at his pitstop however was then handed a drive-through penalty for rushing when the security automotive led the sphere by way of the pitlane. This dropped him to the the again, from the place he ultimately recovered to twelfth place, regardless of placing in a request to the pitwall to retire the automotive.

“We did not get the wing setting proper,” he mentioned. “It is occurred many instances. Yeah, simply principally not having sufficient entrance wing within the automotive, and the automotive simply would not flip.

“So I used to be simply understeering massively for a protracted time period. And truthfully, for me, it felt like that is what led to the tyre failing. Possibly it was particles. I did not see any particles, to be trustworthy, nevertheless it’s not excellent. It occurred simply as I bought to the pitlane entry.”

Hamilton doesn’t count on any change in consequence at this weekend’s ultimate grand prix of the season, in Abu Dhabi, the place he shall be leaving the group with which he has received six world championships.

“I do not assume we’ll find yourself in a excessive,” he mentioned. “It can finish and I feel what’s vital is how we flip up, we give it our greatest shot.

“I do not anticipate a very a lot better weekend than we have had up to now weekends, however naturally I am going to strive. Go in with low hopes and possibly come out with a greater consequence – it would not actually make a giant distinction both means.

“It has been a rollercoaster journey of feelings and I am simply grateful I am nonetheless standing and I am nonetheless OK. I’ve had nice races in my life and I’ve had unhealthy races in my life. Not too many unhealthy ones.”