Hamilton’s Zandvoort Rally: From Poor Qualifying to a Top Five Missed Opportunity

Lewis Hamilton could have effortlessly secured a top five position if it weren't for a disappointing qualifying session.

The Zandvoort race weekend didn't go as planned for Lewis Hamilton, who lamented the missed opportunity caused by an underwhelming qualifying performance.

Lewis Hamilton believes that if he had qualified in a better position, he could have "easily" secured a top-five finish in the F1 Dutch Grand Prix.

The seven-time world champion faced an unexpected exit in Q2 at Zandvoort, having secured only the 12th quickest time during the qualifying round. Compounding his troubles, he was penalized with a three-place grid demotion for obstructing Red Bull's Sergio Perez in Q1.

Hamilton remarkably fought his way back to eighth position, describing his comeback as an enjoyable experience. During parts of the race, he was notably the quickest driver on the circuit.

"Discussing his performance, he mentioned to the press at Zandvoort, where Crash.net is stationed in the paddock, 'If my qualification had gone as planned without any issues, then indeed, I would have secured a higher finish,'" he shared with the media.

"I believe my speed today was more than enough to secure a spot in the top 5 without a doubt. Had I begun the race from the fourth position, I'm confident I would have ended up at least in fourth place."

Hamilton was among the trio of racers who began the race on soft tires, capitalizing on this choice to gain positions early on. Later, he changed to hard tires and then strategically used a no-cost pit stop to switch back to a fresh set of soft tires.

The 39-year-old British driver was closing in on his teammate George Russell towards the end but ultimately ended up in eighth place.

"Hamilton elaborated on their strategy, stating they decided on a two-stop approach and began with the soft tyres, which proved to be very effective. He mentioned that during the practice day, the soft tyres performed better than the medium ones."

The durable tire performed adequately, but it was challenging to determine my next move, particularly whether to exert more force since I was planning for a two-stop strategy. I aimed to maximize tire usage, yet I remained uncertain if we would opt for a single stop instead.

"I encountered a slight hiccup that forced me to stick to my original plan. Had I opted for a single pit stop, it's possible I could have handled it more effectively, perhaps even securing a position higher in the finish."

Explore Further

Recent Updates

Recent Updates

Site Navigation

Crash.Net

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

Copying or reproducing any part of the text, photos, or illustrations in any manner is strictly prohibited.