Lewis Hamilton, a seasoned veteran of Formula 1, experienced a frustrating qualifying session at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. Reflecting on his performance, the 7-time world champion was not shy about expressing his disappointment.
“I am furious, absolutely furious. I could have been on pole, or at least on the front row. I just didn’t do the job,” Hamilton said during the Sky Sports F1 broadcast.
His efforts landed him in P6, starting from the third row, trailing not only the McLarens but also teammate George Russell. Lando Norris secured the pole position, followed by Oscar Piastri and Russell in second and third.
Charles Leclerc set the pace early on but faded towards the end, while Kevin Magnussen’s yellow flag incident briefly interrupted the session. Hamilton, however, attributes his struggles to self-inflicted errors.
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“I lost a tenth and a half in Turn 1 and another tenth in the final corner. No one to blame but myself,” he acknowledged.
Hamilton’s qualifying woes are a familiar topic for him. “Qualifying has been my weakness for a while now. I can’t figure it out, but I’ll keep trying,” he remarked. But he’s not dwelling only on the negatives.
“I will be kicking myself for a few hours, but I must move forward. We have a good race car, and the team has done an amazing job,” Hamilton added.
Looking ahead, he mentioned his future replacement, Kimi Antonelli, who is set to join Mercedes next year as Hamilton transitions to Ferrari. “The car felt better, and the team deserves more. Maybe they will get that with Kimi,” he said optimistically.
Mercedes showed promising pace during the weekend, topping FP3, with Russell starting strong for the race. The layout of Monza, featuring long straights and a generous DRS zone, will allow them to leverage their car’s potential.
For Hamilton, every qualifying session and race provides a chance to overcome these hurdles.
“I just didn’t do the job,” he reiterated.
2024 Italian Grand Prix Qualifying Results
1. Lando Norris
2. Oscar Piastri
3. George Russell
4. Charles Leclerc
5. Carlos Sainz
6. Lewis Hamilton
7. Max Verstappen
8. Sergio Perez
9. Alex Albon
10. Nico Hulkenberg
11. Fernando Alonso
12. Daniel Ricciardo
13. Kevin Magnussen
14. Pierre Gasly
15. Esteban Ocon
16. Yuki Tsunoda
17. Lance Stroll
18. Franco Colapinto
19. Valtteri Bottas
20. Zhou Guanyu