Lewis Hamilton faced a frustrating qualifying session at the US Grand Prix, where he was eliminated in Q1 after making a costly mistake at Turn 12. This track limits violation not only ended his chances of advancing but also left him starting from the second-to-last row at the Circuit of The Americas. Hamilton’s struggles were compounded by a disappointing performance in the Sprint race, where he finished sixth, indicating ongoing challenges with his car’s performance.
After qualifying, Hamilton described the day as “pretty terrible” and detailed the issues that had plagued him throughout the event. He revealed that he experienced a front suspension failure as he was preparing for the formation lap, which affected his performance during the race. Despite feeling optimistic about his car’s setup the day before, the mechanical issues led to a chaotic and unproductive qualifying session.
When asked if the F1 Sprint weekend format contributed to his difficulties, Hamilton expressed uncertainty, insisting that such failures should not occur. He acknowledged that qualifying has been a recurring problem for him this season, marking this as his second exit in Q1 after a similar incident in China. This ongoing pattern has led to questions about his performance and ability to adapt to the challenges of the current season.
Despite suggestions that he might be experiencing a mental block, Hamilton firmly dismissed this idea. He referenced his near-pole position in the previous day’s Sprint Shootout, which was disrupted by yellow flags, as evidence that his mindset was not the issue. Instead, he pointed to mechanical failures as the primary source of his struggles and emphasized the team’s efforts to address the suspension problem.
Looking ahead to the race, Hamilton acknowledged the challenges of starting from P18, predicting limited opportunities for advancement. He suggested that a strategic decision to start from the pit lane might be beneficial, allowing for setup adjustments to improve the car’s performance. Meanwhile, his Mercedes teammate, George Russell, faced his own challenges after crashing in Q3, highlighting a tough weekend for the Mercedes team overall.
