Lewis Hamilton had a solid qualifying record at the Circuit of the Americas but faltered on Saturday, finishing 19th out of 20 drivers.
Although Hamilton enjoys significant popularity in the U.S. and has a strong history in Austin, he was the second slowest in Q1, narrowly above Zhou Guanyu.
This marked the first time the seven-time Formula 1 champion qualified outside the top five at COTA. Replays revealed that a major lock-up on his best lap cost him approximately half a second in the middle sector.
The Sky Sports F1 commentary team was shocked by the outcome, with lead commentator David Croft noting, “This is it for Lewis Hamilton at a circuit where he’s always been in the top five for qualifying.
But now he’s in the bottom five in Q1—that’s a massive upset… There’s a hush around the track as fans process this.”
Co-commentator Martin Brundle expressed his disbelief, asking, “What on earth is going on?”
Hamilton wasn’t the only notable driver eliminated in Q1; he was joined by cars from Sauber and Williams, with former teammate Valtteri Bottas finishing 18th and Alex Albon 16th.
Hamilton will gain at least one grid position due to Liam Lawson starting at the back because of engine penalties, despite advancing to Q2.
Saturday continued to be challenging for Hamilton, who started the Sprint race seventh and managed to finish sixth, but struggled with pace.
George Russell, who reached Q2 and finished fifth in the Sprint, also faced tire issues, experiencing front degradation while Hamilton struggled with rear tire performance.
Hamilton remarked on the confusion, saying, “It was definitely puzzling; I had no pace. We’ll analyze it and see what adjustments we can make, but the hotter conditions today are likely a factor.”
Russell echoed this sentiment, noting his initial speed before losing tire performance, leading both drivers to conclude they were missing something in their setups.
