Lewis Hamilton’s difficulties in qualifying this season is likely to be “a altering of the guard”, in response to David Coulthard.
Hamilton has crushed Mercedes teammate George Russell solely 4 instances from 15 qualifying classes this 12 months.
Final week at Zandvoort, Hamilton was unusually knocked out of Q2 earlier than declaring his weekend “finished”.
Ex-F1 driver Coulthard tried to evaluate Hamilton’s Saturday struggles for Channel 4, saying: “I want I had an evidence.
“Issues that separate drivers like Lewis from the merely good drivers is the power to qualify a automotive. In regardless of the circumstances are, they normally discover a lap time.
“All that has, form of, gone alongside George!
“It appears like a altering of the guard. I do know that may upset lots of people as a result of Lewis has nonetheless bought good success, I’m certain, forward of him.
“Like a footballer who loses a yard, he’s nonetheless helpful to the group however not as helpful as he was.
“What it’s possibly turning out to be… the pure transition for Lewis to go off to Ferrari, and for Mercedes to usher in Kimi Antonelli to see if he’s the intense younger factor to push George.”
Hamilton is into his remaining 12 months with Mercedes earlier than becoming a member of Ferrari in 2025.
Teenage starlet Antonelli is broadly anticipated to be his alternative at Mercedes subsequent 12 months.
Coulthard analysed qualifying final weekend at Zandvoort the place Hamilton completed twelfth: “Going into qualy I believed it was a case of Mercedes, McLaren and the place may Max throw himself in amongst it.
“[Hamilton] appeared to drop again a bit, in what had been pretty secure circumstances right through.
“That implies to me that they had been operating near their limits on engine and efficiency by means of the free follow classes.
“Then, when it got here to it, Crimson Bull had extra within the tank.
“What an incredible lap from Lando, reminding us that McLaren has a Mercedes engine. Making the primary group look common.
“Lewis was speechless when he was informed that he was out.”
A foul weekend within the Netherlands for Hamilton adopted a joyous interval the place he received two out of three grands prix, together with at Silverstone.
This weekend on the F1 Italian Grand Prix he’ll go to the house nation of his future employer, Ferrari, aiming to show Coulthard mistaken.
