It was disaster for Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton at the end of Q1 session int 2018 Formula 1 German Grand Prix when the British driver had to retire from qualifying due to a mechanical issue.
Hamilton is trailing Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel by 12 points as the season enters a crucial phase for either parties. After losing to Vettel in his home event in Britain, Hamilton was focused to get the revenge in Vettel’s home in Germany.
However, bad luck struck Hamilton towards the end of Q1 when he was forced to stop and retire his Mercedes as Vettel went on to take pole ahead of Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas. It was a hydraulic leak which ended Hamilton’s chance for pole.
The replays showed Hamilton going wide in Turn 1 and flying over the kerbs before his eventual demise. The British driver was adamant that the issues already started to affect his car which in fact led to that moment in Turn 1.
But team boss Toto Wolff contradicted his driver as he felt the issue was a result of Hamilton’s moment. The team has since clarified the reasons and agrees with Hamilton that the mechanical issue caused him to fly over the kerbs in that fashion.
“Hamilton had a hydraulic failure at Turn 1 as he ran the normal kerb through that corner,” the team said. “Then, with failed power steering, as a result of the hydraulic failure, his car jumped over the run-off.
“The car’s ‘jumping’ moments seen on TV were a consequence of the hydraulic failure, rather than the cause of it.” Like the last time after British GP, Hamilton once again took to social media to clarify his side of things.
“To avoid all assumptions, today was nobody’s fault. When I got to the exit kerb of Turn 1, the hydraulics in the steering failed. When this happened, the car pulled to the left and so, I was forced to drive off the track and subsequently take a bumpy ride before rejoining.
“Those big bumps did zero damaga. These things happen and as always we win and we lose together as a team. Why didn’t I pull over when asked? Simple, it’s qualifying, the car was still going and I hopes with all my heart that I might make it back and they could fix it.
“In my heart, I never give up, so it is the hardest thing to give in and accept the car will not make it back. I turned the car off and thought perhaps I can even push it back as crazy as it sounds. That’s just me being passionate.
“To those who take joy in seeing other people fail or suffer, I feel for you. Whatever is happening in your life to gold so much anger and hate, I pray that it passes good things come to you.
“Nelson Mandela once said, ‘we were not born with hate in our hearts, it’s something learnt over time, but if we can learn to hate then we can be taught ti love for love is far easier and more natural to the human heart’.
“Now tomorrow, I can’t predict what’s to come. Good or bad, I will die before I give in. All I can do is try to be the best me I can be and drive it like my life depends on it.” It will once again be a fight for Hamilton to carve his way through the field on Sunday.
He has had to do that in the last race at Silverstone, but this time his title rivals starts on pole with a strong advantage. Even for the constructors’ battle, Ferrari has two cars to Mercedes’ one which puts them in a strong position for a 1-2 finish.