P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Hamilton blames wind for Q1 error as Mercedes "experiment"
Just hours after achieving his best result of the season by finishing second in the Shanghai sprint, Lewis Hamilton’s fortunes took a tumble as he failed to advance from the first session of qualifying, ending up in 18th place on the grid. Hamilton acknowledged that his early exit was a result of his own error, taking responsibility for his performance without attributing blame to the team or the car. Despite the rollercoaster of emotions from morning highs to afternoon lows, Hamilton remained unfazed, accepting that setbacks are a part of racing. Reflecting on the impact of bold setup changes before qualifying, Hamilton and George Russell experimented in different directions, with mixed results but a shared goal of progress and competitiveness. Russell made it to Q3 and secured the 8th position on the grid, highlighting the team’s ongoing quest for development and improvement in pursuit of victories and championship contention.
