Lewis Hamilton, the most celebrated driver in f1 witnessed a series of unexpected challenges at the qualifying session at the Japanese Grand Prix. The expectations at the qualifying were higher than expected from the seven-time world champion after a DNF at the Australian Grand Prix. However, several factors led to Hamilton finishing in 7th place on the grid for the race on Sunday.
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Mercedes has been struggling in the past couple of years with the pace of the car making it impossible for them to keep up with Red Bull and the other cars on the grid. While the car seemed to be performing better during the free practice sessions at the Japanese Grand Prix, which pleased fans to see Hamilton returning to the race and threatening Red Bull’s dominance.
During the FP2, Hamilton finished in the 3rd position, It gave the fans and the entire grid a little more trust in the seven-time world champion and Mercedes making major improvements after an unfavorable racing weekend at the Australian Grand Prix.
“It was a really good session, the best the car has felt this year,” says Hamilton after the practice sessions.
Mercedes was predicted to perform poorly here at the Suzuka Circuit due to its challenging, fast layouts that would hamper the car in fast turns. Mercedes has been having trouble figuring out why the car doesn’t generate as much downforce on the racetrack.
Lewis Hamilton delivers another disappointing qualifying
The qualifying sessions serve as the battleground for drivers to give their best to get a good position for the race. Hamilton was unable to get deliver much from his car and will line up in seventh place for the race this weekend.
“That’s half-a-second to Verstappen,” says Hamilton’s Engineer Bono on the radio during the session “Where’s that half-a-second man?” Hamilton says as he struggles to keep up with the pace in the car.
The fans were excited to see Hamilton back on the racetrack but it ended up with another disappointing qualifying result after the free practice at the Japanese Grand Prix of 2024 as he struggled with pace and keeping up with the Red Bull team.
Hamilton has faced challenges over the past few years, despite his talent and experience in the track with Mercedes. As the season goes on, Hamilton and the Mercedes team will continue to evaluate their performance and work even harder to take back their top spot in Formula 1.
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Fiza is a writer at The Sports Orbit, focusing on F1 coverage. She is currently pursuing her master’s in broadcasting journalism and has a profound love for motorsports. She finds F1 to be the most engaging among others due to its adrenaline rush. She got interested in the sport after watching an F1 race with her brother and uncle, and she’s been hooked ever since. Her favorite team is Mercedes and she is a fan of Lewis Hamilton. Besides her dedication to F1, she enjoys activities like reading, practicing her calligraphy skills, and experimenting with cooking.
