Lewis Hamilton says present struggles do not outline his Mercedes journey forward of ultimate race earlier than Ferrari swap | F1 Information

Lewis Hamilton says the disappointing type on which he’s ending his Mercedes profession does not “define the journey” he has been on throughout his 12 seasons with the crew.

The seven-time world champion will drive in his remaining race for Mercedes at subsequent weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix forward of leaving the Silver Arrows to affix Ferrari subsequent season.

Hamilton’s penultimate outing for the Silver Arrows noticed him end outdoors the factors in twelfth after a tumultuous 57-lap race in Lusail during which he was hit with two sanctions by stewards – one for a soar begin after which a second for dashing within the pit lane later within the race – and suffered a puncture.

“Even if it finishes like this weekend, I don’t think that defines the journey we have been on and the journey we have had but I will give it everything I can,” Hamilton advised Sky Sports activities F1.

Hamilton has struggled badly in qualifying not too long ago, failing to make the highest 5 at every of the final 5 races and twice not even that includes within the high 10.

His Sundays have typically been far superior however on this event the errors spilled over. After being advised of his drive-through penalty for pit-lane dashing, Hamilton requested Mercedes if he may retire his automotive, a request that was declined.

“It just didn’t really go that great, but these things happen,” Hamilton added.

“Don’t judge me by how many times I fall but I’m going to get up tomorrow and give it another go.

“The automotive and I do not get alongside actually that properly. However we had been very, very far off to start with and we did not have sufficient wing in to start out with, the automobiles had been fairly totally different and it wasn’t actually nice to drive.

“But, my fault today so apologises to the team for the false start and then the pit-lane incident.”

Hamilton admitted that he does not have excessive hopes of a dramatic upturn in type in Abu Dhabi, however insisted that it’s the strategy to the weekend relatively than the outcome that’s essential to him.

“I mean I don’t think we’re going to end up on a high,” he advised the written media in Qatar.

“It’ll end and I think what’s important is how we turn up, we give it our best shot. I don’t anticipate particularly much better weekend than we’ve had in the past weekends but naturally I’ll try.

“Go in with low hopes and are available out with a greater outcome, then nice, but it surely does not actually make a giant distinction both manner. These final races do not have an effect on every little thing we have performed collectively.”

Russell: Mercedes’ tempo completely disappeared

Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell was unable to capitalise on his pole place as he was muscled out on the first nook by winner Max Verstappen, after which Lando Norris.

Working in third, Russell was the primary of the front-runners to pit however a particularly sluggish cease noticed him emerge in visitors and lose monitor place to McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, each Ferraris and Hamilton.

Whereas his hopes of repeating final week’s victory in Las Vegas had been ruined, Russell was capable of get well to fourth after Sainz and Hamilton suffered punctures and Norris was penalised for failing to sluggish underneath yellow flags.

“After the pit stop I couldn’t get back through Fernando (Alonso). I was doing the same pace as (Sauber’s) Zhou Guanyu,” Russell advised Sky Sports activities F1.

“The speed we had on Friday and Saturday totally disappeared for both Lewis and I, so we need to understand why that was.

“P4 was in all probability a greater outcome than we deserved.”

Watch the final race of the 2024 Formula 1 season – the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – live this coming week on Sky Sports F1, with Sunday’s race at 1pm. Get Sky Sports activities F1 or stream with NOW