Lewis Hamilton had yet another off day at the office, as he failed to make a mark in the Austrian Grand Prix Sprint qualifying. The Mercedes driver qualified in P6 on Friday, and fans were simply not happy with the experienced driver’s performance.
Formula 1 is currently in Austria for the 2024 Austrian GP, where Hamilton’s Mercedes was not the fastest car on the grid. Max Verstappen yet again snatched the pole position from Lando Norris, and Oscar Piastri rounded off the P3 in qualifying.
#AustrianGP 🇦🇹 | Lewis Hamilton post SQ:
“I wasn’t in the mix at all. The whole session was pretty disastrous from my point. What can I say… practice felt good, the car generally felt good.”
“I don’t think I had the pace obviously to be on pole but… very bad laps.” pic.twitter.com/JMAqzmlBrN
— deni (@fiagirly) June 28, 2024
As for the Silver Arrows’ drivers, Russell qualified in P4, two places better than his veteran teammate, Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time world champion was the first driver to start his final flying lap. However, he went wide in Turn 3 and lost time in the process, which, in the end, comprised his position.
“I wasn’t in the mix at all. The whole session was pretty disastrous from my point,” said Hamilton during the post-qualifying interview. “What can I say… practice felt good, the car generally felt good. I don’t think I had the pace obviously to be on pole but… very bad laps.”
Fans were far from impressed with Hamilton’s statement as they shared their reactions on social media.
“Just doesn’t have it in qualifying anymore. At least he’s always got solid race pace but damn,” a fan wrote.
Just doesn’t have it in qualifying anymore.
At least he’s always got solid race pace but damn
— Kev (@2KEVlN) June 28, 2024
“He is seriously washed – I am a ham fan. But when you come in every weekend with such low-down beat aura. it wont help you at all. He simply cant afford to do this anymore – this is a sport at the end of the day. He needs to find his mojo back or please just retire already,” another fan wrote following his P6.
He is seriously washed – I am a ham fan. But when you come in every weekend with such low-down beat aura. it wont help you at all. He simply cant afford to do this anymore – this is a sport at the end of the day. He needs to find his mojo back or please just retire already
— Ron (@geekAron) June 28, 2024
“The words of a washed driver,” A fan chimed in.”In qualifying he is washed…but according to Cultlh he is getting sabotaged…2025 will be hilarious,” another fan wrote, questioning his qualifying talent.”He’s just passed it now, sorry but can’t keep saying he has great race pace when he can’t deliver in qualifying,” wrote yeat another fan.”He’s down beat again,” wrote yet another fan.
After a bitter Friday, Lewis Hamilton is hopeful for Saturday
Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team W15 on track during Sprint Qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 28, 2024 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
Now that Friday’s sprint qualifying has not gone well, Lewis Hamilton has put all his attention on Saturday, primarily on the sprint race and then on the main race qualifying. Speaking about the same, he said,
“I don’t think overtaking is mega here, but we’ll give our best. It’s usually not such an eventful race, so I think the focus will be mostly on getting a better qualifying tomorrow.”
Mercedes is in P4 in the Constructors’ Championship with 151 points, which is far behind top teams such as Red Bull (330), Ferrari (270), and McLaren (237). Lewis Hamilton occupies the P8 of the Driver’s Championship with 70 points, while his teammate George Russell is in the P7 with 81 points after 10 races.