Hamilton Mystified by Sudden Pace Loss with Montreal Pole in Sight
Jun.9 - Lewis Hamilton has repeated his veiled suggestion that only his Mercedes suddenly suffers a mysterious pace dip in qualifying.
In Monaco two weeks ago, only George Russell had an upgraded wing on his car - but for Montreal, seven time world champion Hamilton also has the new part.
However, Hamilton said it's been a trend all year so far that "automatically I lose two tenths going into qualifying".
"I don't anticipate being ahead of George this year in qualifying," he added in Monaco.
Indeed, even Russell admits that the Ferrari-bound-in-2025 Hamilton was "flying" in Saturday morning practice in Montreal - before mysteriously slumping once again in qualifying.
"Saturdays usually go like this, so I can't say I'm surprised," the 39-year-old told Viaplay in Montreal.
"We didn't change anything on the car but I was half a second slower. The grip just wasn't there and I don't know where it went. It was just suddenly gone.
"But congratulations to George, because it's great for the team," Hamilton added.
Team boss Toto Wolff admits that Hamilton's sudden qualifying dip is a mystery. "At first it looked like Hamilton had the upper hand," he said after qualifying.
"It looked like both our cars were beating everyone, but in the end it became so tight, also for George, and then Lewis couldn't get a good lap time.
"We don't know why it didn't work out for him in the end. The tyre temperatures were in a good window. Lewis put in some strong laps today," he added. "It just somehow didn't come together in the end.
"That's why the result is a bit bittersweet."
The good news for Mercedes is that, amid a recent series of upgrades, the former world champions finally now appear to be re-joining F1's front group.
"We've been sort of zigzagging over these past couple of years but in the last six months, those zigzags have narrowed," said Russell.
Even Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko admits Mercedes is now closing in on the frontrunners.
"Yes, Mercedes have taken a step forward," said the team consultant. "They were 2-3kph ahead of us on all sections of the track, which shows that they are good aerodynamically."
Canadian Grand Prix lap time comparison between:
🇬🇧George Russell
🇳🇱Max Verstappen#F1 #CanadianGP pic.twitter.com/ixzSiolSYx
— FORMULA ADDICT (@Formuladdict) June 9, 2024
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Where are ShoddyPost hate posts, wake up.
Couldn’t be for a lack of talent, could it? Or maybe his suggested setups aren’t working?
veiled suggestion is it..... , sounds more like ANOTHER excuse to me, 19 excuses and counting, hes scored more excuses than points this year
But with damage to his chances done in qualifying, Hamilton pointed to the Mercedes tyre blankets, claiming they were consistently leaving his tyres below the optimum temperature, heat, and therefore performance, which he could not recover out on the track.
“The tyres were working throughout the weekend, then we got to qualifying and every time I went out of the garage, my tyres were for some reason below on temperature,” he said.
“Every set was two or three degrees lower than it should have been, and you can’t catch it up and I couldn’t switch the tyres on after that. That’s something we have to really look at, because something went on with the blankets, I guess.”
Sounds more an excuse 2-3 degrees ffs --Excuse No 20
Being a goat isn’t easy. GR beating him, people sabotaging his wins, WOE IS ME! Focus on what you’ll wear to the next GP, it will perk you up!
Poor Ferrari, the tsunami is coming!
2-3 degrees ffs probably you’re right Stroppy but when quali times vary by hundreds of a second or less? And best of all Max has serious competition at last, if he wins the wdc he will at last be the undisputed champion of the world as the boxers say.
20 drivers in that qualifying , but only one blamed her performance on her tyre fitters getting the temps wrong?, #2021 manipulated isnt it obvious man
But yes, its good to see Max getting competition in quali and the races and then still winning....
Having an overly exaggerated ego, having to deal with mere mortals, than reducing himself to ridiculous alledged blame on others is unbecoming of a GOAT or just realizing his “greatness has come and gone. The saddest part, he should have retired while still on top, egotiss never seem to know when to leave the stage or grid.
Absolutely, I think Max loves and enjoys being challenged like all great athetes. Nothing new about that. Great for him, great for the sport. However, I felt the same way when Hamilton won every race for seven years. His only true challenger was his team mate, Rosberg, who then left,right after winning the WDC. Bottas was relegated to being his wingman. Then Ham went right back to be unchallenged. Funny, how attitudes changed so quickly with different drivers winning.