After a satisfactory FP3 today at the Barcelona circuit, Lewis Hamilton has been waiting for his moment of a comeback to the top in the qualifying. But now, it looks like it was not meant to be.
Apparently, last year was a disaster for team Mercedes because their W13 car could not cope with its porpoising issue. The car bounced so much that the driver suffered injuries to the neck and back. Lewis Hamilton had a terrible experience in Baku, Azerbaijan, last year, where he sustained bruises along with neck and back pain. However, this year, the team made sure the car didn’t cause too much bouncing. It might not have that many porpoising issues, but the car still had to undergo a lot of changes.
Ever since Baku this year, Lewis Hamilton had been counting the days down to drive the revamped W14 with new upgrades. And the Mercedes drivers finally drove the car with solid upgrades in the Monaco Grand Prix. Hamilton did not have much change of luck, but he had been excited about the car’s prospect in Barcelona. Moreover, several teams have tested their new upgrades in the Spanish Grand Prix. This time, Mercedes fans are hoping that Lewis Hamilton might secure a podium finish at least, if not win, in the final race. But the Q2 session somewhat flashed water on this hope as the two drivers got into a bad collision.
Lewis Hamilton Slams His Teammate For A Dangerous Move
The Mercedes drivers, Lewis Hamilton, and George Russell, had a very challenging time on the track in Barcelona so far. Hamilton could not get to the top ten in both of the free practices yesterday. On the other hand, George could only get to the 8th position in FP2. Hence, the team has not been very happy inside the camp. But things got more complicated on Day 2 as the two Mercedes drivers had a bad collision in the qualifying. It happened almost at the end of Q2 when Russell broke the wing of Hamilton’s car.
As a result, Lewis Hamilton slammed his teammate on the radio for a dangerous move. As he stated, “Russell made a dangerous move. He suddenly backed off. That’s really dangerous. There is damage in my car.” Russell also apologized for his “dangerous move.” However, the good news for Hamilton is that he made it to Q3 as he drove fast enough and got a replacement for his front wing. But Russell got out in the Q2 itself and will now start at the P12 position tomorrow.
Max Verstappen Secures› Pole Position Again
Before finishing at P5, Lewis Hamilton almost came close to a P4 finish but avoided a penalty, with Pierre Gasly finishing ahead of Hamilton. Although now, there is a penalty hanging over Gasly. But another English driver caught the attention as Lando Norris of McLaren steered his wheel to get to a P3 finish.
On the other hand, as expected, Red Bull driver Max Verstappen was unstoppable. He has taken the pole position for tomorrow’s race. Looks like Verstappen is on his way to win his 40th Grand Prix. That will make him just one win away from the tally of F1 great Ayrton Senna. There is a possibility that the Dutchman might break his last year’s record of 15 wins this season.
