The Mercedes team showed good pace in the Formula 1 Spielberg qualifying, but both drivers crashed in Q3. According to team boss Toto Wolff, pole position would have been possible.
Lewis Hamilton has “no answer” to his accident in Formula 1 qualifying in Austria on Friday, which left him “incredibly disappointed”. A place in the top three would have been possible for Mercedes, but teammate George Russell also crashed his W13 into the wall in Q3.
Hamilton lost control of his car on his flying lap in the fast turn seven, skidded through the gravel trap and crashed into the barrier on the right-hand side of the track. The Brit is unhurt but has to start Saturday’s sprint race from tenth place.
“It was a big blow,” says the seven-time Formula 1 world champion. “But I’m just incredibly disappointed in myself. I feel so sorry for the team, everyone worked so hard to put this car together.”
Hamilton and Russell target top 3 result
“I don’t like damaging it and bringing it back damaged. We were fighting for the top three I think. I don’t have an answer for that. I just lost the rear at turn seven and that’s it,” summarized Hamilton.
As qualifying progressed, things got even worse for the Silver Arrows when Hamilton’s teammate George Russell also retired and lost control in the final corner. However, his initial lap time was still good enough to secure fifth place on the grid for the sprint race.
Russell is concerned about the possible accidental damage but explains that he was trying to get into the top three on the grid: “I could have been P4 for sure. I had a tenth advantage on my lap and I gave it my all because I thought there was a chance of third place,” he explains.
“Now we just have to see how bad the damage is. I feel sorry for the team and for the guys in the garage.” Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff stressed that Hamilton and Russell should “not be too upset” about their accidents as they showed good pace in qualifying.
Team boss Toto Wolff: “Would have raced for pole position”
The setback came after Mercedes appeared to have taken another step forward at last weekend’s British Grand Prix after bringing a raft of updates to Silverstone.
Wolff says: “You shouldn’t be overly optimistic, but I think we would have been in contention for pole position.” Therefore, the two accidents are annoying, but “it’s ok” because the team also let the drivers down at the beginning of the season with the lack of performance of the W13.
“We gave them a car all season that they couldn’t really drive at the front,” says Wolff. “It might have been possible today, but that’s ok. If we give them a car or an engine that isn’t there, then we have to apologize and vice versa they do the same. That’s something that is a strength in our team .”
“But now we’re slowly coming to terms and can be up there with the front runners. So it can happen that you just lose the car. I’d rather have a fast car and then qualifying like that than not having the pace to finish in the top four “, says the Mercedes team boss.