The summer break seemed to have stripped Lewis Hamilton of his newfound momentum. The Briton endured a prolonged slump before stepping into the 2024 season. The start of this season was nothing different, as he continued to struggle. After winning at the British GP, the seven-time world champion secured two more wins, making it three in just four GPs.
This sudden upsurge excited the F1 fans, who anticipated an even better performance after the summer break. However, the mojo didn’t last long, as the Briton was back in the slump after the break. His struggles were evident on a tricky Baku track as his Qualifying woes persisted. However, Hamilton revealed the real reason behind a horrible outing in his post-race interaction.
“Wasn’t Correctly Built,” Hamilton Reveals The True Cause For A Disappointing Azerbaijan GP
Lewis Hamilton was optimistic about a solid race after a positive start to the Azerbaijan weekend, which included some decent FP sessions. However, his dream was cut short after qualifying when he finished at P7. To make matters worse, the team decided to take a new Power Unit, accumulating a penalty. As a result, the Briton had to start the race from the pitlane, which was a massive disadvantage. Ultimately, he salvaged a few points, finishing P9, thanks to a crash involving Perez and Sainz.
The Briton shared his thoughts with the media after a disappointing race. He said the car was perfect during Friday’s practice. However, the team made a ‘tine’ change for Saturday. Sadly, one of the components was “not built properly,” jeopardizing Hamilton’s Saturday qualifying. He further emphasized that the team could not pick a point of the malfunction, and the team took the PU penalty.
Furthermore, when Hamilton was asked to describe the faulty component, he tried to beat around the bush. During the race, the car was acting erratically, which impacted Hamilton’s driving style and made him appear uncomfortable throughout the race. Moroever, the Briton claimed W15’s balance was the “worst he ever had” due to a mismatch of front and rear. He further explained the ‘weird behavior’ of the car as too much front traction made it impossible to drive. Moreover, it also handicapped the 39-year-old racer from overtaking, and the only option left was to be in the middle.
Why Lewis Hamilton Started The Azerbaijan GP From The Pitlane
The FIA has a set limit for the number of engines every driver uses in a season. The seven-time world champion had already used four allotted engines until the Azerbaijan GP. Thus, Hamilton had to endure a penalty to get a new engine. Moreover, his qualifying disaster made it easier for the team to opt for a penalty in Azerbaijan. Thus, he had to start from the pitlane along with Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, who also got a new engine.