Hamilton‍ Expresses Fury⁤ After ⁤another Qualifying Disappointment in ⁣Abu Dhabi

Lewis Hamilton ‍is visibly frustrated after being eliminated in Q1‍ for the fourth consecutive time,culminating in a 16th-place starting position for sunday’s Abu Dhabi ​Grand Prix. Following the session,Hamilton offered minimal verbal response during ‌a ⁣Sky Sports ‌F1 interview,answering‌ two ‍follow-up questions with only a ⁢nod.

The ​frustration appeared to stem from ongoing issues with the car’s handling.‍ On his out-lap back to the pits, Hamilton radioed ‌race engineer Riccardo Adami, stating: “Sorry buddy, same thing every time.” When ‌asked by ‍Rachel Brooks⁣ if this message related to his⁣ own qualifying performance, Hamilton ⁤simply nodded. He ​offered ‍the same non-verbal response ⁣when asked if‍ he was⁢ unable to⁤ utilize his usual ‍driving strength.

In a brief discussion with non-TV media shortly after, Hamilton acknowledged a ‌crash during Free⁤ Practice 3 ⁤(FT3) “certainly didn’t help.” He‌ explained the incident at Turn‌ 9: ⁤”The car‌ touched down‌ and I lost control of it. We ‍found bouncing,‍ which⁣ was persistent.”

When⁢ directly asked about his feelings after being knocked ​out of Q1 for the fourth time in a⁢ row,Hamilton stated,”I have no words to express my‍ feelings,just a ​lot of ⁢anger.” He declined to specify the source of‌ his anger.

Looking ahead, hamilton ⁣admitted he has “no” plan for how to ‌improve the situation ‌within the Ferrari team starting‌ Monday. He also expressed uncertainty about his ‍mental recovery ⁢during the upcoming ⁣winter break before the‍ 2026 season. “Time will tell. ⁤it’s‍ the shortest break,” he said, noting that the first⁤ test ‍drives with the new cars are scheduled for ‌the ⁢end ​of January in Barcelona.

Hamilton currently has no concrete plans for‌ the winter⁤ break, stating, “At the moment I ​don’t know. I have⁣ no ⁤plans for anything.” He also doesn’t anticipate a strong ⁤result in Sunday’s race,saying,”From where I start,there’s not much you ‍can do.”

Meanwhile, hamilton’s Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc, fared significantly better, qualifying in fifth place, securing ‍a spot on the third row.leclerc successfully navigated Q1 ‍and Q2 after initially attempting Q1 on medium tires before switching to⁣ softs. He ‌finished just 0.085 seconds behind Mercedes driver George⁤ Russell, who qualified fourth.

Leclerc described the car as “tricky,” stating, “You just ⁤have ⁣to drive it with full⁢ commitment. That either ​takes you into the wall or out of Q1.” He added ‌that he had made ⁢changes to the car between Friday and Saturday, feeling an‍ enhancement, though​ it wasn’t ​immediately⁢ apparent in ⁤FT3.He expressed satisfaction with his qualifying performance,‍ notably his laps in ⁢Q3, stating he “gave it [his] all.”