Toto Wolff apologised to Lewis Hamilton for Mercedes’ “idiotic” mistake which saw the seven-time world champion suffer an early elimination in his final qualifying with the team.
Lando Norris led a McLaren one-two as the British team strengthened their grip on the constructors’ championship, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz qualifying third.
Hamilton’s final act of a glittering 12-year stay at Mercedes began with a dismal Q1 elimination in Abu Dhabi after he was undone by a stray bollard on his final run.
Haas’ Kevin Magnussen ran over the bollard, knocking it into Hamilton’s path and it got stuck under the Mercedes as Hamilton qualified only 18th.
But Mercedes left it late for Hamilton to put in his fastest lap in Q1, a decision which an emotional team principal Wolff was furious about.
“I want to apologise to Lewis and to everyone in the team who worked so hard to make it a great end for him,” Wolff told Sky Sports.
“We have totally let him down, an idiotic mistake of not going out earlier. Inexcusable. Inexcusable.
“I have rarely been so down about what has happened. Maybe it summarises the last races we had with him but this is the worst.
❌ ELIMINATED IN Q1 ❌
AlbonZhouHamilton ColapintoDoohan
Gutting for Lewis in his final qualifying for Mercedes. Looks like he had a bollard stuck under the car on his final push lap#F1 #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/Q7H1bDCxVB
— Formula 1 (@F1) December 7, 2024
“It was just idiotic. Maybe without the bollard it would have worked but you don’t risk so much in a Q1 where we had easily the pace to get out of it.
“Our most valuable racing driver ever, the greatest driver of this sport gets knocked out in Q1 because we made a mistake.
“That doesn’t ruin the legacy we have with him but I can only say sorry to him.
“We would have had a real go for a podium and now it’s pretty much impossible.”
Hamilton has endured a difficult final season with the team which has delivered him six of his seven world championships, admitting on Thursday that he has struggled to manage his emotions after announcing the decision to join Ferrari in 2025, ahead of this season.
He is set to finish seventh in the drivers’ standings, the lowest of his 18 seasons in the sport, but remains determined to end his stay with Mercedes on a high.
“Just my luck but it’s OK,” Hamilton told Sky Sports.
“We tried so hard with the setup and we got the car in a great place and was looking good, I was thinking ‘maybe a podium is possible this weekend’.
“The car has been feeling decent. To go from P1/P2 to then be 18th definitely changes the weekend but I am still trying to be really present. The car has been completely different this weekend, so much better to drive.
“So my hopes are high. I will try and come back.”
Norris was just over two tenths ahead of team-mate Oscar Piastri in an all-McLaren front row at the Yas Marina Circuit.
The British team are battling Ferrari to claim the constructors’ crown this weekend, holding a 21-point lead over the Scuderia.
Ferrari’s hopes of overturning that advantage were hit by news of Charles Leclerc’s 10-place grid penalty on Friday and the Monegasque will start from the back of the grid after qualifying only 14th.
QUALIFYING CLASSIFICATION
McLaren in the box seat as they look to clinch their first constructors' title in a quarter of a century #F1 #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/TK0P2kDzmg
— Formula 1 (@F1) December 7, 2024
Norris said: “We want to do it in style and we want to win, I want to win.
“We know what we have to do. We are staying focused but we are here to win every race possible and tomorrow we will have a good chance.”
Sainz will lead Ferrari’s fight in his final race for the team from third on the grid.
Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg, who produced a stunning lap to finish fourth ahead of world champion Max Verstappen, was handed a three-place grid penalty for overtaking in the pit exit tunnel and will start seventh.
