Lewis Hamilton 16th after third consecutive Q1 shock as Ferrari nightmare season ends in despair | Abu Dhabi GP. Ferrari’s Hamilton crashes out again: 16th on the grid in Abu Dhabi.

The Englishman in the Ferrari will start 16th on the grid tomorrow in the final race of his first season in red.

The crisis continues

Third time’s the charm… unfortunately for Lewis Hamilton, the phrase applies for all the wrong reasons. After Las Vegas and Qatar, Hamilton was once again forced to bow out in Q1 at Abu Dhabi, setting only the 16th fastest time in the session. He was narrowly beaten at the chequered flag by the Ferrari-powered Sauber of Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto.

For the seven-time world champion, there seems to be no peace during what is undoubtedly the most challenging period of his long career. Lewis Hamilton also had some bad luck: his lap was just seven thousandths of a second slower than Yuki Tsunoda, the last driver to make it through the cut.

His disappointing performance overshadowed the excellent work by the Ferrari mechanics, who had repaired his SF-25 in time for the start of qualifying after Hamilton had hit the barriers during FP3, severely damaging the entire front-right section of his car.

Over the radio, after being informed of his elimination by his race engineer Riccardo Adami, Lewis Hamilton reacted with understandable frustration: “Every time, mate. I’m really sorry.”

Starting 16th, a points finish – let alone a fairy-tale podium in his last race of the 2025 Formula 1 season – now looks a monumental ask. The curtain falls on one of the most challenging chapters in Lewis Hamilton’s legendary story in the most frustrating way imaginable.