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Lewis Hamilton Knocked Out of Qatar GP Qualifying

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Samriddhi Jaiswal | Last updated Nov 29, 2025 1:45 PM ET

Lewis Hamilton’s struggles in Qatar continued as the Ferrari driver was eliminated in Q1 once again, repeating the disappointment of the previous qualifying session.

Hamilton’s final lap fell short of the cutoff by a painful margin, dropping him to 18th place, while Sauber rookie Gabriel Bortoleto delivered a brilliant last-minute lap to snatch P15 and advance.

For Hamilton, who entered the weekend seeking momentum after a challenging run of form, the result was a harsh reminder of Mercedes' ongoing performance inconsistency.

“This is another sorry, disappointing lap for him,” Sky Sports F1’s David Croft said after the session. “He couldn’t hook a lap together. He’s a better driver than this.”

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton following a press conference at the Lusail International Circuit ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday. Picture date: Thursday November 27, 2025.David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images

Back-to-Back Q1 Exits Raise Questions

Back-to-back Q1 exits are extremely rare for Hamilton, who has built his career on exceptional qualifying performances. But Qatar has exposed a car that appears unpredictable in low-grip, high-wind conditions, and a setup window that Ferrari hasn’t found yet.

On Friday, Hamilton wasn’t satisfied with the car performance and got knocked out in the Sprint Qualifying, and Saturday’s repeat elimination strengthens the narrative that something deeper is at play.

Croft’s line, “Where do you start with the debrief?, captures the mood precisely. Ferrari must now determine why Hamilton failed to “hook the lap together.”

For Sunday’s Qatar GP, Hamilton faces a mountain. Starting 18th at a circuit where overtaking is possible but risky, the priority will shift to tyre management, strategic creativity, and avoiding early-race chaos.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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