Mercedes boss Toto Wolff apologized to Lewis Hamilton and the rest of the team after the seven-time world champion finished 18th in qualifying for the Abu Dhabi GP, his final as a Mercedes driver before moving to Ferrari.
It was a poor bit of luck that finally caught up with Hamilton. Looking good in free practice with the car finally looking fast, the Brit looked set to get through to Q2 with ease. But in the final race of Q1, Kevin Magnussen’s Haas bollard got stuck under Hamilton’s car. The incident caused a loss of downforce for Mercedes and Hamilton, for whom it was supposed to be the last swansong with the team he had achieved so much, was forced to finish 18th ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“I have to apologize to Lewis,” Wolff told Sky Sports F1. “Also to everyone in the team who worked so hard to make it a great finish for him. He was a fast guy with the kind of set-up we chose in the car – to use for next year as well – and we let him down completely.
“Stupid mistake of not counting first. unforgivable I am rarely aware of what has happened. Maybe that sums up the last few runs we’ve had with him but that’s the worst part of it because it was just silly. “
Wolff was also asked if both of his Mercedes cars spinning out during traffic played a part in qualifying, but he felt that both of his drivers had avoided that issue and it would have been a better qualification had it not been for Bollard.
Wolff added: “I think we were lucky that they both (Russell and Hamilton) wrestled through the other traffic and maybe without Bollard it would have worked.
“But you don’t take too many risks in Q1 where we easily had the pace to take it out and our most valuable racing driver – the most valuable and greatest driver in this sport – goes out in Q1 because we make a mistake. One mistake mistake, and that’s it. … It won’t ruin all the legacy he has but I can only say sorry to him.