Hamilton Mercedes farewell wrecked by Abu Dhabi bollard

Lewis Hamilton has been eliminated in the first part of qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, his final race for Mercedes.

The seven-time F1 drivers' champion, who will join Ferrari at the start of 2025, will start P16 at best at the Yas Marina Circuit.

It was an unfortunate confluence of circumstances for the Briton, who only just got over the start/finish line in time to start his final push lap.

He spent his lap in the dirty air of Jack Doohan's Alpine, who was only just up the road from him and having gone slower through the first sector, he then picked up a bollard in the final part of the lap after it was knocked into the middle of the track by Kevin Magnussen.

That occurred at Turn 14, when he was up on the required lap time, but the blockage meant he would not be able to improve on his previous best.

It is his third Q1 knock-out over the past six rounds.