Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton has been eliminated in Q1 for the first time in five years at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Mercedes struggled in testing and during the first weekend of the season in Bahrain, but Hamilton still managed to finish on the podium behind Ferrari pair Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. This is the first time that Hamilton has failed to make it past the first qualifying session since the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2017. Meanwhile, Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell has also raised concerns about the Mercedes car. Hamilton’s disastrous qualifying performance seems to suggest that Russell’s assessment could prove correct, with Mercedes currently some distance behind their main rivals.

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