P1racenews AI automatic summary:
For the first time in 16 years, Lewis Hamilton suffered a third straight Q1 exit in Abu Dhabi, hours after crashing his Ferrari.
Lewis Hamilton expressed his “anger” at yet another early exit at Ferrari, marking his third straight Q1 elimination. The Briton’s crash during Free Practice 3 led to a challenging qualifying session, where he finished in 16th place, just behind Yuki Tsunoda. This marks the third successive grand prix qualifying that Hamilton failed to advance past Q1 after Las Vegas and Qatar, adding to his overall disappointment this season. His 2022 season has seen Hamilton facing setbacks reminiscent of the 2009 Monaco-Turkish-British GPs, which he labeled a “nightmare.” With his streak of podium finishes in jeopardy, Hamilton struggled to find words to express his frustration, hinting at a challenging road ahead.
Despite acknowledging car issues during qualifying, Hamilton remains uncertain about his action plan moving forward. The upcoming break poses a mental reset opportunity, albeit the briefest one this season. Hamilton’s subdued responses hinted at the toll his recent struggles have taken, with scant plans for improvement or recovery evident. The prospect of starting from P16 in the race left Hamilton acknowledging the limited options ahead, mirroring the recurring theme of disappointment in his weekends.
