LEWIS HAMILTON has been eliminated from Chinese Grand Prix qualifying in the first session.
The seven-time world champion will start tomorrow’s race from 18th.
SplashLewis Hamilton is out in Q1[/caption]
Hamilton had started the weekend’s action positively, coming second in The Sprint behind only Max Verstappen.
The 39-year-old Brit described the finish as “the best result I’ve had in a long time.”
But disaster followed for Mercedes in the qualifying for the main race.
Hamilton made a costly mistake, going too wide around a corner on his final lap.
He therefore failed to improve on the time he had already set and finished in a disappointing 18th.
Frustration was written across the face of Mercedes chief Toto Wolff, who looked to the heavens in disbelief.
After qualifying, Hamilton said: “I just struggled – it is what it is.
“This morning, George [Russell] and I had very similar cars but we are trying to experiment still and so I went one way by a long way and he went the other.
“Yeah, it didn’t work – 18th is pretty bad. S**t happens.”
Sky Sports were forced to apologise for his bad language.
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