P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff admits he’s “happy” Abu Dhabi marked the final qualifying session of the 2023 Formula 1
Lewis Hamilton was unable to advance to Q3 for the fourth time this season, citing issues with his car’s performance. Teammate George Russell outperformed Hamilton, leading to a significant gap between the two drivers. Despite this, Russell was able to secure fourth place on the starting grid. Mercedes’ team principal, Toto Wolff, expressed disappointment with the qualifying result, especially after Russell’s strong performance in the practice sessions. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc secured a front-row berth, giving the advantage to the Italian team in their battle with Mercedes. With Mercedes set to end the season without a victory for the first time since 2011, Wolff expressed relief that he won’t have to discuss the car’s performance issues anymore and looks forward to the new car for the upcoming season.
