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Lewis Hamilton Contemplates Pit-Lane Start at US Grand Prix After Qualifying Ordeal
Lewis Hamilton is considering beginning the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix from the pit lane following a challenging qualifying round, where he described his Mercedes F1 vehicle as a "nightmare" after being eliminated in Q1.
Lewis Hamilton has described his Mercedes Formula 1 vehicle as "a nightmare" following an unexpected exit in the first qualifying round at the United States Grand Prix.
The seven-time world champion experienced a dismal day at a circuit where he typically shines, managing to secure only the 19th position, which represents his poorest qualifying result ever at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA).
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Hamilton encountered difficulty when braking, overshooting Turn 12. This error resulted in a loss of half a second for him and contributed to his poorest qualifying performance in the 2024 season.
Following the event, Hamilton disclosed that he experienced "a kind of malfunction" during Saturday afternoon’s sprint race, prompting Mercedes to modify the configuration of his W15.
"During the sprint, we experienced a problem with the front suspension starting from the formation lap, and this issue persisted throughout the sprint race," he elaborated.
"This significantly complicated achieving equilibrium. We implemented a few adjustments, which nudged us towards the strategy we had considered the day before. The car performed terribly during the qualifying rounds."
Hamilton is slated to begin from the 18th position, while Red Bull's Liam Lawson is expected to start from the back of the grid due to a penalty for installing a brand-new power unit.
Nonetheless, Hamilton has expressed a strong interest in beginning the race from the pit lane in order to allow for additional adjustments to his vehicle.
"Beginning from the pit lane seems like my only option, or else I'm not moving forward," Hamilton stated.
In response to a question about his challenges, Hamilton stated, "The balance is extremely inconsistent, and there's a lack of grip."
For the first time in 12 tries, Hamilton has not managed to secure a spot within the top five during the standard grand prix qualifying in Austin. At this track, he has achieved pole position three times.
Hamilton started the Austin sprint from the seventh position and crossed the finish line in sixth place.
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