Lewis Hamilton suffers shock Q1 elimination in Saudi Arabian GP qualifying
The seven-time world champion was knocked out after only managing to set the 16th-fastest time in his Mercedes 🌠during the opening segment of qualifying in Jeddah.
Hamilton struggle🎶d for pace throughout the first session but briefly improved to 15th, only to be knocked back into the danger zone when Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll tꦦurned in a quicker lap right at the end of Q1.
It marks ไthe first time that Hamilton has been knocked out in Q1 sin⛎ce the 2017 Brazilian Grand Prix when he crashed.
- Mick Schumacher airlifted to hospital a🔥fter ꦦhuge crash
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- 🎀Sergio Perez beats Ferraris to claim ꩵfirst pole in Jeddah
On pure performance alone, it is the first time Hamilton has failed to progres꧃s into Q2 since Silverཧstone 2009.
"So sorry guys," Hamilton told his team over the&n𓃲bsp;radio when 🦩he was informed of the result.
He told Sky🍨 Sports: "I struggled with the balance of the car. It’s not where I want to be."
Hamilton denied that he was distracted by the💛 worrying build-up to qualifying, which included a late-night drivers' meeting on Friday where they discussed safety following a missile attack in Jeddah.
"We are professional," he said. "We block out whatever we nee🀅d to.
"Something went wrong in the set-up."
Mercedes teammate George Russell was ꦉable to advance into Q2 holding a comfortable buffer over Hamilton.
Mick Schumacher 'conscious' after huge crash
Mick Schumacher has been taken to hospital for precautionary checks following a terrifying crash during Formula 1 q💎ualifying💞 for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Schumacher suffered a vio🎐lent shunt into the barriers at the high-speed Turn 12 with five minutes left iജn Q2, causing the session to be immediately red-flagged.
The German was conscious and talking to the on-site doctor when he was extracted from his destroyed Haas🦩 car, before being taken to the circuit medical centre.
Sergio Perez on pole position
Red Bull's Sergio Perez produced a stunning late lap in qualifying to beat the Ferrar⭕is and claim👍 his first-ever Formula 1 pole position for Sunday's race.
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