Breaking news

Formula 1 Abu Dhabi GP

Hamilton "tried something completely different" in Abu Dhabi

Lewis Hamilton has confirmed that he experimented with a different set-up approach this weekend at Abu Dhabi, in an unsuccessful attempt to halt Nico Rosberg’s pole position streak.

Charles Bradley

Charles Bradley

Edited: Nov 28, 2015, 3:18 PM

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1 W06

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1 Team

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1 W06

Third place Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, polesitter Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG F1 Team, second place Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1 Team

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1

Hamilton has complained since Singapore that his car's balance hasn't been to his liking, as changes were made there during Mercedes's worst grand prix weekend of the season.

He tried a new approach this weekend in the Abu Dhabi season finale, but it wasn't enough to halt Rosberg's run of poles.

"It's just a balance thing," said Hamilton of his deficit. "It's been different for a few races now. I did my best; we worked as hard as we could with the engineers to try and go around it, try something different – we've tried something completely different this weekend and… so-so.

"Generally it gets a bit better in the race. I'm struggling on the edge with the car, I'm a lot more comfortable in the beginning [of races].

"I said coming into this weekend trying to make some changes – disadvantages myself by taking something off my car that was a benefit, but at the end of the day I wasn't good enough.

"I'd much rather be on pole, of course, and I was working as hard as I could towards that, but Nico did a great job."

Still positive for the race

Hamilton believes he can end the season on a high with another victory tomorrow to cap his title-winning season in style.

"I'm going to try as hard as I can to get a good start tomorrow, I've got a lot of British flags here, a lot of support, so I'll see what I can do from there," he said.

"It is tough to overtake here, as although you've got the DRS zone down the back straight, you can't follow [closely] through Turns 2 and 3. So the gap gets pulled out there."

Watch Inside GP video preview

 

 

 

 

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Read also :

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Previous article Abu Dhabi GP: Post-qualifying press conference

Next article Bottas qualified sixth and Massa eighth for the Abu Dhabi GP

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

More from

Charles Bradley



Mika Hakkinen on his darkest day in F1

Formula 1

Formula 1

Mika Hakkinen on his darkest day in F1



Dillon: Spotter was “wrong” to shout “wreck him!” before Hamlin clash

NASCAR Cup

NASCAR Cup

Richmond II

Dillon: Spotter was “wrong” to shout “wreck him!” before Hamlin clash



Hamlin: NASCAR stripping Dillon of win would be “warranted”

NASCAR Cup

NASCAR Cup

Richmond II

Hamlin: NASCAR stripping Dillon of win would be “warranted”

More from

Lewis Hamilton



Lewis Hamilton on why he is “built differently” to stay in F1 for the “foreseeable future”

Formula 1

Formula 1

Mexican GP

3 h

Lewis Hamilton on why he is “built differently” to stay in F1 for the “foreseeable future”



The mistakes that cost Lewis Hamilton a podium at F1’s US GP

Formula 1

Formula 1

United States GP

The mistakes that cost Lewis Hamilton a podium at F1’s US GP



'Senior moment' or breakdown of trust? The implications of Hamilton's Singapore GP meltdown

Formula 1

Singapore GP

'Senior moment' or breakdown of trust? The implications of Hamilton's Singapore GP meltdown

More from

Mercedes



Why “ignorance is a superpower” for Kimi Antonelli, according to Daniel Ricciardo

Formula 1

Formula 1

Mexican GP

6 h

Why “ignorance is a superpower” for Kimi Antonelli, according to Daniel Ricciardo



George Russell predicts key Ferrari "advantage" at F1 Mexican GP

Formula 1

Formula 1

Mexican GP

11 h

George Russell predicts key Ferrari "advantage" at F1 Mexican GP



A strategic masterclass: How Kimi Antonelli put himself on the cusp of F1 title at the US GP

Formula 1

United States GP

A strategic masterclass: How Kimi Antonelli put himself on the cusp of F1 title at the US GP

Latest news



F1 Mexico GP: Charles Leclerc beats Kimi Antonelli to top FP1

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

Mexican GP

14 min

F1 Mexico GP: Charles Leclerc beats Kimi Antonelli to top FP1



What Fernando Alonso is getting wrong about F1 driving standards

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

Mexican GP

1 h

What Fernando Alonso is getting wrong about F1 driving standards



F1 Mexico GP: Follow FP1 with live timing

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

Mexican GP

1 h

F1 Mexico GP: Follow FP1 with live timing



Sergio Perez to skip F1 Mexico GP fan forum due to illness

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

Mexican GP

2 h

Sergio Perez to skip F1 Mexico GP fan forum due to illness

Feature

Discover prime content



What’s the state of play at F1’s smallest team?

Formula 1

By Jake Boxall-Legge

What’s the state of play at F1’s smallest team?



Is history really repeating itself? What Christian Horner’s Adrian Newey claim says about Aston Martin and Red Bull

Formula 1

By Ronald Vording

Is history really repeating itself? What Christian Horner’s Adrian Newey claim says about Aston Martin and Red Bull



The one aspect of the 2026 US GP that should be a blueprint for F1 2027

Formula 1

United States GP

By Jake Boxall-Legge

The one aspect of the 2026 US GP that should be a blueprint for F1 2027



A strategic masterclass: How Kimi Antonelli put himself on the cusp of F1 title at the US GP

Formula 1

United States GP

By Jake Boxall-Legge

A strategic masterclass: How Kimi Antonelli put himself on the cusp of F1 title at the US GP

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts

Subscribe