P1racenews AI automatic summary:
“There’s these spikes of ‘it could be good’, then it disappears” – Lewis Hamilton’s sentiment after Australian Grand Prix qualifying sounds oh-so-familiar in the context of Mercedes’ last two-and-a-bit Formula 1 seasons
Lewis Hamilton expressed disappointment after the Australian Grand Prix qualifying, highlighting the familiar pattern of Mercedes experiencing glimpses of potential followed by disappointing results. Hamilton’s performance declined from final practice to being knocked out in Q2, a stark contrast to his initial promise. Even George Russell, who had been performing better than Hamilton in recent races, could only manage seventh on the grid. The false hope experienced by Mercedes in practice sessions is a recurring theme in their 2024 season so far. The struggle with the 2024 car’s weaknesses in high-speed corners was evident in Melbourne, hindering Hamilton and Russell’s qualifying performance. Their difficulties in adapting to the car’s inconsistencies in performance highlighted the challenges faced by the Mercedes team.
