Lewis Hamilton's disastrous Las Vegas Grand Prix qualifying went beyond just him backing off and not pushing for a final Q1 effort - as another disappointment compounded what he says has been his "hardest year" in Formula 1.
The Ferrari driver was slowest in the first qualifying segment in Las Vegas to get dumped out of Q1 and will start Saturday's race from 20th on the grid.
Much has been made of Hamilton backing off at the end of Q1 rather than pushing on for a final effort, having got across the line just before the chequered flag.
However, while the opportunity may have been there to get another lap in, Hamilton reckoned that his pace was not strong enough for it to make any difference.
"I had a yellow flag in the last corner and, going into Turn 17, there was a yellow flag so I had to lift," he said.
"[When I] came across the line it was red [the lights above the starting grid]. But I didn't have the grip anyway, so I don't think it would have made much difference."
Hamilton's efforts had already been derailed by then in the frantic final minutes of the session when he hit a bollard which appeared to get stuck under his car and cost him pace during what would be his final push lap.
Lewis Hamilton is OUT of Qualifying! 😱
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 22, 2025
He is set to line up in P20 for tomorrow's Las Vegas Grand Prix #F1 #LasVegasGP pic.twitter.com/aRR2bhkfS1
He was also slowed by yellow flags which meant he had to lift off and abandon that lap.
Time appeared to be on his side for a final run, but he backed off when he saw the red lights on the pit gantry - perhaps getting confused between the timing line that he had crossed before the lights flicked on, and the start line ahead of him.
Lining up last on the grid is the latest in a long run of disappointments for Hamilton, where potential he has shown in the Ferrari has not been fulfilled with hard results.
While he has won a sprint race this year in China, he has yet to finish on the podium for Ferrari in a main grand prix.
Reflecting on this weekend so far, Hamilton reckoned that far more was possible.
"The car was feeling great in FP3," he said. "I was really, really excited that finally we’d have a good day. But not to be."
Such a contrast between the strong form he felt he had this weekend, and the huge disappointment of being last, left Hamilton feeling that this is a campaign that has been his most difficult.
"Obviously it feels horrible, it doesn't feel good," he said. "All I can do is let it go, and try to come back tomorrow.
"I've done everything I could possibly do in terms of preparation. All the practice sessions felt amazing. I just didn't get the lap at the end.
"I felt like we were quickest, and then you come out of qualifying 20th. This year's definitely the hardest year."
