P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Toto Wolff blasted an “idiotic” mistake made by Mercedes triggered a Q1 exit for Lewis Hamilton in qualifying for the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Despite a challenging weekend in Qatar, Lewis Hamilton showed improvement at Yas Marina Circuit by finishing third in FP3. However, a late lap in Q1 and a bollard incident led to his elimination in Saturday’s qualifying session, much to the frustration of team principal Toto Wolff. Wolff publicly criticized the team’s mistake, apologizing to Hamilton and acknowledging the missed opportunity for a better qualifying result. Hamilton’s teammate, George Russell, advanced to Q3 but Wolff emphasized that luck played a role in his progress. Hamilton expressed disappointment at missing out on a podium opportunity in Abu Dhabi due to the qualifying mishap. Wolff concurred with Hamilton’s assessment, acknowledging that a podium finish was within reach prior to the setbacks.
