Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has apologised to Lewis Hamilton for the “idiotic” mistake that led to the seven-time champion being dumped out in Q1 for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Hamilton’s hopes of delivering a powerful lead to his last race weekend for Mercedes already look like over after he ended up P18 in qualifying, having did not make it by to Q2. He’ll begin P16 because of penalties for Charles Leclerc and Alex Albon.
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Whereas Hamilton’s hopes weren’t helped by him putting a bollard that had been flung in to his path by the Haas of Kevin Magnussen close to the top of his lap, Wolff thinks a a lot larger issue was that Mercedes had left issues so late for his or her drivers to get their last runs in.
That left Hamilton uncovered to extra site visitors than if he had gone earlier, which was confirmed with the Magnussen bollard incident.
Talking to Sky, Wolff stated he was offended about what had occurred and stated there was no excuse for what the staff had completed.
“I simply have to apologise to Lewis, and in addition to everybody within the staff that labored so arduous in making it a fantastic finish for him,” defined Wolff.
“He was the faster man with that form of set-up that we select on the automotive, additionally to experiment for subsequent yr, and we completely let him down.
“An idiotic mistake of not going earlier. Inexcusable. Inexcusable. I’ve not often been so down about what occurred.
“It possibly summarises the final races we had with him. However that is the worst a part of it, as a result of it was simply idiotic.”
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15
Photograph by: Lubomir Asenov / Motorsport Pictures
Wolff stated that whereas it’s apparent that working late presents doubtlessly higher monitor circumstances, doing so in Q1 when all that’s wanted is to set a prime 15 time meant it was silly to danger not going early.
“I feel we had been fortunate that they, each of them, wrestled their means by the opposite site visitors,” he stated. “After which possibly with out the bollard, it will have labored.
“However you do not danger a lot in a Q1 the place we had straightforward the tempo to make it on the market.
“Our most respected racing driver ever, probably the most beneficial and best driver of this sport, will get out in Q1 as a result of we make a mistake. A dilettante mistake that does not damage all of the legacy we have now with him, however I can solely ask for forgiveness to him.”
Hamilton reckoned that based mostly on his tempo in apply he had seemed heading in the right direction to problem for a podium end behind McLaren.
Nonetheless, Wolff stated all hope of that was now gone with him beginning to this point again.
“His tempo was there,” he stated. “We’d have had an actual go for a podium. He was P3 this morning, and now it is just about unattainable from the place he comes.”
Pictures from Abu Dhabi GP Follow & Qualifying
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On this article
Jonathan Noble
System 1
Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes
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