168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Nico Hulkenberg has come to the defence of 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lewis Hamilton over claims he made towards the difficult end of his Mercedes F1 stint.

The seven-time world champion endured a tough final campaign with Mercedes and despite picking up 🐠two victories, Hamilton ended the year finishing seventh in the championship - his worst classification in his storied 18-year career.

As well as finishing behind 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:George Russell in the drivers’ standing🍬s, he was comprehensively out-qualified by his teammate over t🌞he course of the 2024 season.

After a poor qualifying at🥀 the penultimate round of the campaign in Qat💞ar, Hamilton declared he is “definitely not fast any more”.

He add♑ed: "I'm just slow. Same every weekend. Car felt relatively decent. You know, no issues. Not really much more to say.”

🧔Hamilton backt♓racked on his comments later in the weekend, insisting he has “still got it” after his qualifying struggles continued.

After qualifying s🌺ixth for the main grand prix, five places and nearly half a second behind Russell, Hamilton stated: "Just the car won't go any faster. I definitely know I've got it still. It's not a question in my mind.”

“He was disappointed after a poor qualifying, and ob🥃viously I don’t know the details [from Mercedes], but he was up against George who is a very fast and complete driver already.

“He’s put📖 in some really strong performances and has good momentum, so as a driver, even when you are as experienced as Lewis, it can get to you and annoy you as well.

“🎃We all want to challenge and beat our team-mates, but you saw in Las Vegas how good Lewis is, he came from P10 to [P2] and you should never discoun💞t him.

“He’s still going great.”

Hamilton’s 2024 qualifying woes

Hamilton re🎉mains the all-time F1 record holder for pole positions with 104 but has topped qualifying just once since the end of the 2021 season.

The 40-yea♓r-old Briton faꦅiled to get to grips with Mercedes’ ground-effect car under the current regulation cycle which began in 2022.

Hamilton was consistently outperformed over one lap by Russell throughout 2024 and e🍰nded the yearꦦ with a 5-19 head-to-head defeat to his teammate in qualifying.

Russell became just the second teammate to outqualify Hamilton over an F1 season after 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Nico Rosberg in 2014.

Hamilton will be hoping to🥂 address his one lap form when he staᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚrts his Ferrari career this season.