Lewis Hamilton admitted he fell short of his best with his final two efforts in qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Hamilton’s Q2 lap was faster than the Sebastian Vettel’s pole position lap in Q3. But the McLaren driver wasn’t able to replicate his best time.
Hamilton said: “It was a good session for me, I think it’s been quite a good couple of days to be honest. Quite a big improvement for me, I feel, from the last race.
“We were quick, the car’s been feeling good. But just at the end there, that was as fast as I was really able to get out of my lap. It wasn’t particularly a great lap. The one in Q2 was much better.
“But that’s the way it is and well done to Sebastian, he did a great lap. As always he’s very, very quick. But the race is tomorrow and that’s the most important day.”
2011 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
BasCB (@bascb)
12th November 2011, 14:45
What to add to that Hamilton! Keep your foot in, see if he turns in on you. Go beat him at the first turn and keep ahead.
Lets see, as we will probably know what it will be like after the first 2 sectors if its going to be Vettel making his cushion again or more of a bit China/Barcelona like hunt.
Maksutov (@maksutov)
12th November 2011, 14:55
That’s not the kind of encouragement Hamilton needs .. let’s hope there are no incidences…
glue (@glue)
12th November 2011, 15:07
track was warmer in Q2
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
12th November 2011, 15:08
@glue Not sure what your point it. It was warmer for all drivers, including Hamilton.
glue (@glue)
12th November 2011, 15:15
pardon, I was under the impression there was little improvement from Q2 to Q3 overall
fox
12th November 2011, 15:17
The point being that if Hamilton gave everything in both sections, Q2 and Q3, then it’s natural that the Q2 lap was the fastest.
On the other hand, Vettel never uses the car in full potential in Q2. Having said that, right before the red flag, Vettel was betting Hamilton’s time anyway.
The fact is, the track was faster in Q2 than in Q3.
F1fanNL (@)
12th November 2011, 15:49
The fact is most drivers improved on their Q2 time in Q3.
Hamilton didn’t so whether or not Q2 conditions were better Vettel got pole because Hamilton couldn’t deliver in Q3.
F1fanNL (@)
12th November 2011, 15:55
Oops. I mixed up a few of the times. Only Vettel and Button improved.
Still. If they could, why couldn’t Hamilton.
fox
12th November 2011, 16:09
Personally, I don’t agree. I think Button and Hamilton extracted everything possible from the car in the last run of Q3. In fact, Hamilton did it in both sections, but, as the track was faster in Q2, the Q2 time was faster.
Vettel on the other hand saw his last effort in Q2 being stopped by the red flag. So he obviously improved in Q3.
All things considered, the duo Vettel/Red bull keeps being too strong in qualifying.
JackBrabhamFan
12th November 2011, 15:50
“The fact is, the track was faster in Q2 than in Q3.”
Jenson and Vettel beat their own q2 times and Alonso equaled his. There was no reason why Lewis couldnt have beaten his Q2 time which was faster than Vettel’s pole winning Q3 time.
Mclaren probably screwed up again by allowing Jenson who was .63 seconds slower that Lewis in Q2 to get on ahead of Lewis for the final run and then have Alonso slot in between Lewis and Jenson to make it even worse.
Even the BBC commentators who are no fans of Lewis were questioning that move and contrasting Red Bull’s strategy favorably with McLaren’s.
Aced (@)
12th November 2011, 16:09
So, Lewis was about 30 seconds behind Jenson.
Are you saying that that made a 0.63 difference for Jenson?
Just please before answering think about it.
fox
12th November 2011, 16:11
As Aced pointed, Lewis obviously wasn’t affected by the dirty air from Jenson.
JackBrabhamfan
12th November 2011, 16:33
Do you forget that Alonso was between Lewis and Jenson?
Fixy (@)
12th November 2011, 16:22
It’s the same two as last year in the front row. I hope the order after turn 1 will be different.
raymondu999 (@raymondu999)
12th November 2011, 17:29
Yep; only those two have taken up the front row.
Mark (@marlarkey)
12th November 2011, 18:12
Whining again from Hamilton… I think he has lost the concept of “good grace”.
Aced (@)
12th November 2011, 18:22
Not once did I hear Hamilton whine today.
jdoe
12th November 2011, 18:32
How was he whining? I must have missed it unless only brilliant people like you can perceive it.
David-A (@david-a)
12th November 2011, 19:48
@marlarkey
What are you on about?
lewymp4 (@lewymp4)
12th November 2011, 22:13
Typical response which is to be expected to come from a….LH….Lewis Hater!
Mark (@marlarkey)
13th November 2011, 0:14
Did you actually hear the press conference or just read it ?
The quote is a shorterened version of the full quote which I’ve included below. He reacted to the question in a fed up whiny tone of voice… as if he was pretty down and disinterested and couldn’t wait for the press conference to end.
I don’t hate Hamilton, I’m just sad that he has lost his mojo and is kicking out at everyone except himself. As I’ve said before now elsewhere, he needs to pull himself together and get back to his old ways or he’ll turn into another bitter twisted ex-champ like Jacques Villeneuve…
I’d like to see him back to his old self… but there’s little sign of it at the moment :(
———-
Q: Lewis, as Sebastian said you have really been in control all weekend. Did you think you had done enough there?
Lewis Hamilton: No, no. It was a good session for me. I think it has been quite a good couple of days to be honest, quite a big improvement for me, I feel, from the last race at least. Yeah, we were quick, the car has been feeling good, but just at the end there that was as fast as I was really able to get out of my lap. It wasn’t particularly a great lap, the one in Q2 was much better but that’s the way it is and well done to Sebastian, he did a great lap. As always, he is very, very quick but the race is tomorrow, that’s the most important day.
Aced (@)
13th November 2011, 8:27
I read that about 5 times over and over again thinking that I might’ve gotten it wrong. But I still don’t get what you’re saying. How the hell was he whining?
To me he seemed very calm and relaxed, happy to have kept out of trouble but displeased to have missed on pole like that.
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
13th November 2011, 2:38
Since 2008 Brazilian GP I always said that Hamilton & Vettel will have a battle between them like Senna & Prost (on track only) as both have raced against each other in junior classes,they started racing very much the same time. I think one day if both have equal machine will be exciting to watch them through the season as James Allen said on twitter “his is a ferocious battle btw Ham and Vettel – shame it’s not for the championship!” one day it will be .
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
13th November 2011, 11:34
Fair comments from Hamilton. That’s all I can say really. Not much of a debate to be had here…
lewymp4 (@lewymp4)
13th November 2011, 22:10
Mark, I saw the post qualifying press interview yesterday, and only a Lewis detractor or hater could see any whining done by Hamilton on his part, during that interview.
How did Lewis lose his as you say mojo, when during qualifying he posted the fastest time during Q2, a time which if he could have held during Q3 would have given him the pole position. During Q3 Lewis was still able to qualify in 2nd place ahead of his teammate, and only + 0.188 slower than Vettel, and that I guess to you is losing your…..mojo!
Hamilton’s well controlled performance and win today, clearly show that his old self had never left!