Lewis Hamilton 'FURIOUS' as F1 star issues damning Mercedes replacement verdict

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton 'FURIOUS' as F1 star issues damning Mercedes replacement verdict

Lewis Hamilton struggled during Italian GP qualifying

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Saturday 31 August 2024 20:57

Lewis Hamilton has issued a damning assessment of his own performance, bringing his Mercedes replacement Kimi Antonelli into the conversation.

Hamilton has had a tumultuous 2024, struggling to provide consistent performances in his last season with Mercedes, but has ultimately claimed two race victories.

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The 39-year-old is set to leave the team for Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season in a last-ditch attempt to win an unprecedented eighth world championship title.

Hamilton sits ahead of team-mate George Russell in the drivers' championship, but has lost out to his fellow countryman in 12 of the 16 qualifying sessions so far.

Lewis Hamilton struggled during Italian GP qualifying

Kimi Antonelli will replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes

Hamilton angered by Monza performance

The latest of those defeats occurred at the Italian Grand Prix, where Hamilton could only put his W15 in sixth position, while Russell qualified up in third.

After qualifying, Hamilton was unhappy with his own performance, even suggesting that the recently-announced Mercedes signing Kimi Antonelli may not make the same errors as he did.

"Furious. Furious. Absolutely furious," Hamilton admitted to Sky Sports.

"Because I could’ve been pole, I think I could have been at least on the front row and I just didn’t do the job in the end.

"Lost a tenth and a half through turns one and two and then I lost another tenth in the last corner so no one to blame but myself and it’s yeah qualifying’s been my weakness for a minute now, and I can’t figure it out, so I’ll keep trying.

"The team deserve better. Maybe they’ll get that with Kimi."

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Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes Kimi Antonelli Italian Grand Prix Monza