Toto Wolff blasted an “idiotic” mistake made by Mercedes triggered a Q1 exit for Lewis Hamilton in qualifying for the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
After a dismal weekend in Qatar whereby he threatened to end the race early, things were looking up for Hamilton at the Yas Marina Circuit after he went third fastest in FP3.
Hamilton was among the last drivers to set a final lap in Q1 and had to fight through traffic and a bollard caught under his Mercedes W15 en route to 18th and an early exit in Saturday’s qualifying session.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after qualifying, a furious Wolff condemned the team for leaving things so late in Hamilton’s last qualifying session with Mercedes.
“I just need to apologise to Lewis, and also to everyone in the team that worked so hard in making it a great end for him,” Wolff said.
“He was the quicker guy with that kind of set-up that we choose on the car, also to experiment for next year, and we totally let him down.
“An idiotic mistake of not going earlier. Inexcusable. Inexcusable. I have rarely been so down about what happened.
“It maybe summarises the last races we had with him. But this is the worst part of it, because it was just idiotic.”
Mercedes cost Lewis Hamilton a podium shot in Abu Dhabi
Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate George Russell was able to advance through Q1 and Q2, despite also being hindered by going late in the first session as well.
Luckily for Russell, he wasn’t caught out by a strike bollard like Hamilton was, but Wolff took no solace from that.
“I think we were lucky that they, both of them, wrestled their way through the other traffic,” he said.
“And then maybe without the bollard, it would have worked [for Hamilton].
“But you don’t risk so much in a Q1 where we had easy the pace to make it out there.
“Our most valuable racing driver ever, the most valuable and greatest driver of this sport, gets out in Q1 because we make a mistake.
“A dilettante mistake that doesn’t ruin all the legacy we have with him, but I can only say sorry to him.”
Hamilton post-qualifying said without things going awry he could have been fighting for a podium in Abu Dhabi.
“Honestly I thought we’re gonna be fighting for a podium, and my race pace was second-quickest,” Hamilton exclaimed. “But it wasn’t meant to be.”
Wolff agreed with Hamilton’s take, saying “His pace was there. We would have had a real go for a podium.
“He was P3 this morning, and now it’s pretty much impossible from where he comes.”
READ MORE – Lewis Hamilton rues ‘nuts’ bollard incident in Q1 costing him Abu Dhabi podium shot
