F1 News: Lewis Hamilton Reveals Reason For Qatar GP Issue As End Of Season Takes A Hit

Saajan Jogia | 21 Hours Ago

Nov 23, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Mercedes AMG Petronas driver Lewis Hamilton (44) during the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton admitted that the puncture on his W15 F1 car during the Qatar Grand Prix was likely caused by his front wing settings rather than debris from Alex Albon's wing mirror. Following a disappointing P12 finish and two penalties, Hamilton took responsibility for his mistakes and conceded that ending the season on a high with Mercedes was no longer achievable.

Considering his Ferrari switch in 2025, the seven-time world champion had planned to secure the best possible race result for Mercedes in the final races and end the season on a positive note. However, the ongoing problems with his W15 F1 car will likely prevent him from doing that in the Abu Dhabi season finale this weekend.

Speaking of the Qatar GP, a 5-second penalty for a false start for the Briton, followed by a drive-through penalty in the latter stages for speeding in the pit lane under the safety car. The second penalty was a major blow since it prevented him from finishing in the points. The penalty put him at the back of the pack, but Hamilton managed to recover places and finish in 12th place.

A dejected Hamilton wanted to retire from the race during the pit lane penalty but his team asked him to carry on. Adding to his problems was a puncture to his front-left tire on Lap 34 of 57. Considering the challenges, Hamilton admitted it could have been "worse." He said:

“It could have been worse, but I finished and it's over.

 “That was me at the start. And then the puncture was really unfortunate. And the pitlane, that was me as well.

“I'll do my best, but I'll get back up tomorrow and give it another shot.”  

Both Mercedes drivers complained about severe understeer on their cars, which Hamilton believes led to his puncture. He continued:

“We didn't get the wing setting right.

 “It's happened many times. Yeah, just basically not having enough front wing in the car, and the car just wouldn't turn.

“So I was just understeering massively for a long period of time. And honestly, for me, it felt like that's what led to the tyre failing. Maybe it was debris. I didn't see any debris, to be honest, but it’s not ideal. It happened just as I got to the pitlane entry.”

Realistically speaking, the 39-year-old driver doesn't expect the Abu Dhabi GP to be much different from the recent races. He acknowledges the "rollercoaster ride of emotions" the recent races have been. He said:

“I don't think we're going to end up in a high.

“It will end and I think what's important is how we turn up, we give it our best shot.

“I don't anticipate a particularly much better weekend than we've had in the past weekends, but naturally I'll try. Go in with low hopes and maybe come out with a better result – it doesn't really make a big difference either way.

“It's been a rollercoaster ride of emotions and I'm just grateful I'm still standing and I'm still OK. I've had great races in my life and I've had bad races in my life. Not too many bad ones.”