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’ s🐈tandings, he was comprehensively out-qualified by his teammate over the course of the 2024 season.

After a poor qualifying at the penultimate round of the campaign inജ Qatar, Hamilton declared he is “definitely not fast any more”.

He added: "I'm just ꦚslow. Same every weekend. Car felt relatively decent. You know, no issues. Not really ♔much more to say.”

Hamilton ⭕backtracked on his comments later in the weekend, insisting he has “still got it” after his qualifying struggles continued.

After qualifying sixth for the ma🦩in 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 obviously I don’t know the details [from Mercedes], but he was up against G🍨eorge who is a very fast and complete driver already.

“He’s put in some really strong performanꦓces and has good momentum, so as a driver, even when you are as experienced as Lewis, it can get to you and ann𒊎oy 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 sho✃uld never discount him.

“He’s still going great.”

Hamilton’s 2024 qualifying woes

Hamilton remains the all😼-time F1 record holder for pole positions with 104 but has topped qualifying jus♊t once since the end of the 2021 season.

The 40-year-old Brit🃏on failed to get to grips with Mercedes’ ground-effect car under the current regul🌸ation cycle which began in 2022.

Hamilton was consistently outperformed over one l🍬ap by Russell throughout 2024 and ended the year with a 5-19 head-toꦏ-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 on🐈e lap form when he starts his Ferrari carꦿeer this season.