Lewis Hamilton suffered ill fortune on his final race for Mercedes as Lando Norris claimed the pole position. Hamilton will start his final race for the team 16th on the grid, while Norris led home a McLaren one-two.
If there was any need for a moment to sum up Lewis Hamilton’s final season for Mercedes, in what is set to be his worst F1 season, it was this gigantic slice of ill fortune in Saturday’s qualifying under the night sky in Abu Dhabi.
In need of improvement on his final lap in Q1, Hamilton looked pacy until a loose bollard flew under his car floor and stayed there, wedged, for the rest of his lap. Needless to say, it impacted his speed and he qualified third-slowest in his 246th and final qualifying session for Mercedes. He will start 16th on Sunday due to grid penalties.
The disappointing qualifying session marks a significant setback for Hamilton, who was expected to finish his final season with Mercedes on a high note. However, the incident with the bollard ultimately cost him a chance at a better starting position for the race.
Hamilton’s final race for Mercedes ends in disappointment as he starts 16th on the grid. It’s a bitter-sweet end to his tenure with the team, but he can take solace in the fact that he will be remembered as one of the greatest drivers in the sport.
