Formula One F1 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - December 7, 2024 Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton during qualifying REUTERS/Rula Rouhana
ABU DHABI (Reuters) -Lewis Hamilton said his final Formula One qualifying for Mercedes could not have gone any worse after a plastic bollard wedged under his car and scuppered his hopes of a last flourish.
The seven times world champion, who is moving to Ferrari next season, has been the most successful driver at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina circuit over the years, with five wins between 2011 and 2019.
Saturday was his worst qualifying there, however.
The 39-year-old Briton qualified only 18th but was expected to start 16th after penalties are applied.
"I messed that lap up big time, guys," said Hamilton over the team radio after the chequered flag ended the first phase of the floodlit session and he missed out on going through by 0.093 of a second.
"That was bad, man," he added.
"Yeah, that was bad," agreed team boss Toto Wolff.
Television replays showed the bollard was hit and broken by Haas's Kevin Magnussen and then flicked into Hamilton's path, becoming wedged under the car for his final flying lap.
Speaking to reporters later, Hamilton said he had been hoping for a podium but would now be happy to make the top 10.
"You couldn't make it up, you really couldn't, but it is what it is. We gave it everything, I gave it everything, the car was in a good place," he said.
"Every practice session went well, I was ahead of my teammate all weekend but when we got to qualifying I think as a team we didn't perform in terms of the timing.
"I was the last car on track and ran out of time ultimately, and then I got the bollard at the end which went under the car and I lost all downforce so it couldn't have gone worse really."
Hamilton had said on Saturday that it was surreal to realise that an era in his career, and of Formula One, was ending on Sunday.
"I don’t feel the pain of 'in the teeth', as such," he said of Saturday's setback.
"I think for me, I’ve just been very present, been enjoying every moment, I’ve got the car in a really good place.
"The setup changes we’ve been making, the car has been completely different to the last five races this weekend, it’s been feeling really great. So it is unfortunate but...
"It’s not going to be easy to overtake tomorrow, but I work on strategy now and instead of fighting for the podium we’ll see how far (we can go), if I can get into the top 10, that would be amazing."
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
