After a podium finish in Barcelona, the seven-time world champion had high hopes for the Austrian GP. However, the start of the weekend went terribly wrong. After a few conventional races, F1 is back to the sprint format. While sprints are an exciting event for the fans, it might have just hindered Hamilton’s Barcelona momentum.
As things started going the Briton’s way, it all went down again. Although the Mercedes driver did well on the sprint day practice, it all went downhill during the Sprint qualifying. The Brit finished sixth in qualifying, putting him at an unexpected disadvantage.
Hamilton’s Focus On Qualifying As The Sprint Ends With A Terrible Run
The 100KM dashrun in Spielberg has caused problems for Lewis Hamilton. In qualifying, he was in the sixth spot and finished exactly in the same place during the sprint race. Thus, Hamilton voiced his discontent after the qualifying, explaining he didn’t have expectations from the Sunday race. He described the entire qualifying session as disastrous, stating he wasn’t competitive. Despite feeling good during practice and generally satisfied with the car’s performance, Hamilton acknowledged that they lacked the pace needed to secure pole position. Reflecting on his laps, he admitted that each one was poor.
Looking ahead, Hamilton was uncertain about the possibility of overtaking during the race, noting that it’s typically not easy on this track. Nonetheless, he remained determined to give his best effort. Hamilton also mentioned that the race usually isn’t very eventful, so his main focus would be on improving his qualifying performance the following day. While a dramatic start caught everyone’s attention, the 100km run was full of excitement. The Red Bull starlet Max Verstappen bagged another pole on his Austrian fortress. The three-time champion has already won five times in Austria and is the favorite to make it six.
Hamilton Highlights Key Differences In 2024 Tyres Compared To Previous Years
Lewis Hamilton spoke about the comprehensive analysis his team undertook to discover areas for development. He asked for a substantial quantity of information from his team to determine where they were weak and how they might improve their performance. Hamilton remarked that qualifying frequently results in modifications, like the vehicle being lighter and the usage of DRS (Drag Reduction System) being more widespread. He expressed hope, feeling that they had discovered something useful and were now working to expand on it.
Hamilton discussed the difficulties of dealing with the new tyres, stating that they are easy to overwork owing to their greater sensitivity compared to prior seasons. He stressed that attaining a flawless lap is especially tough on weekends, including a Sprint race, which adds to the strain.