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F1 News Today: Hamilton’s season hits ROCK BOTTOM as McLaren send cheeky request
Seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton will start in 16th place for the Sunday race at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after being knocked out in Q1, marking a career first without a single grand prix podium.
Hamilton’s struggles in qualifying continued with a poor final sector on his flying lap leading to his 16th place finish, showcasing a difficult season for the Brit at Ferrari.
Meanwhile, McLaren’s Lando Norris faced an investigation after an incident with Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda during FP3, with both drivers summoned to see the stewards.
Max Verstappen secured pole position for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with George Russell managing P4 on the grid, setting the stage for a thrilling race for the championship.
Former Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg criticized Hamilton’s challenging season at Ferrari, with the Brit currently sitting in sixth place without a podium finish.
In an interesting twist, McLaren’s CEO Zak Brown made a cheeky request to Red Bull ahead of the F1 title decider, as McLaren’s drivers refrained from media appearances with Brown stepping in during the crucial moments of the championship battle.
