Lewis Hamilton says that he is “grateful” to have made it to the final qualifying segment in Miami on Saturday evening.
The seven-time World Champion ended the session in sixth place, and will line up at the start of the race on the third row, alongside former Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas.
Hamilton was the only Mercedes driver to advance into Q3, as George Russell dropped out in Q2, ending the session in 12th.
Mercedes has struggled throughout the 2022 season thus far, particularly across one lap, leaving Hamilton thankful to claim a top six result.
“Qualifying wasn’t too bad. I was grateful to have got into Q3. That’s a good feeling,” Hamilton said.
“I gave it my all at the end, it was just quite difficult with the single laps, getting the most of this car, it was hard work. But I’m grateful to be in amongst the group ahead.”
Hamilton was in danger of being eliminated in Q1, as he was sat in the drop zone when it came to completing his final effort.
Although the 37-year-old safely advanced through to Q2, he admits that he wasn’t completely convinced that his fastest laps were enough to see him through.
“I wasn’t worried or anything [at the end of Q1],” Hamilton said. “When I came in in Q1 I didn’t know if I was through.
“When I came in in Q2 I didn’t know if I was through. It was ‘edge of your seat’, waiting to hear if you’ve done enough.
“You’re just hoping for the right news. Then once we got into Q3, it was a real battle. It was a bit of a struggle but I’m grateful to be sixth.”
… the audacity, that mean old FiA, making baby Lewis remove his pearl necklaces! A Godsend, thank our lucky stars Michelle Obama was there, in Miami, to console and comfort him – xoxo
Near as I can surmise from brazen hostility demonstrated by Serena Williams, by Michelle Obama, those attending on his invitation lend appearance Lewis Hamilton’s been feeding them a line — how sorely he’s treated; how egregiously he’s been discriminated against; could they please-please help, in the racist white supremacist world of F1. On what substantive account would everyone in Lewis Hamilton’s entourage be justifiably hostile?
Thee single women, they cannot save him from thee gringos, when they takes off hes jewelry, Hamilton wheel be like thee Samson when Delilah, she cut off hes hair! Heh-heh-heh-heh-heeeeh!
The closer we get to Monaco, the closer we get, to yet another Lewis Hamilton emotional meltdown. He is looking for the first excuse to play the race card.
I agree. Extent of Hamilton’s emotional weakness is only exceeded by that of Sebastian Vettel. Things are so bad for Lewis Hamilton, no longer is he able to emotionally withstand a Grand Prix appearance, without his race-based entourage, holding his hand. The laughing stock of F1, he and Vettel have become buffoons. Lewis Hamilton is no longer a top 5 driver.
Hamilton looks more like a dumpster-diver, than Daimler-Mercedes’s number 1 factory driver. If I owned a manufactory specialized in cars for punks, gangbangers, pimps and drug dealers, he’d be the #1 guy I’d tap to represent my brand.
He’s overpaid. Late in his career, Hamilton dresses and acts exactly like Michael Jackson, late in his career.
Tick-tock, tick-tock, it’s a mere matter of time before Hamilton blows a fuse, plays the race card, save who may, finally coming out with it after all these years, his truest innermost thoughts ‘n feelings, expressing to the world what he’s really thinking deep down inside, why George Russell’s better and faster, being on account of — systemic racism! white supremacy! Oh, the misery of Lewis Hamilton! Cry him a river!
In the same car, Lewis Hamilton, version 1.0.3, would be a second a lap faster than the sulking, socially wounded, tatted-up hip-hop Mr.T Lewis Hamilton, version 16.0.5.
Beeply psychologically damaged, Hamilton is off the rails. Everyone knows it.
What’s with the women’s jewelry!?! What is his major malfunction? Race drivers should look more like soldiers, less like sissy-boys. What’s Hamilton think he’s doing wearing sissy-boy jewelry?
Somebody needs to straighten him out. If ANYONE ever turned up on my squad, looking the way Hamilton looks? Automatic code red.
What really stood out for me, whereas George Russell is demonstrably positive, circumspect, forward thinking, radioing to his engineers, “… why not extend? see if we get a virtual safety car?”, whensoever team strategists radio in on Hamilton, they’re faced with anger, hostility, an attitude, “… that’s not my job! That’s supposed to be your job!” I wonder if they’re tolerating him at Mercedes, because they’re afraid of him playing the race card?