Paris Soir - Schumacher in high speed crash in Saudi GP qualifying as Hamilton struggles

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Schumacher in high speed crash in Saudi GP qualifying as Hamilton struggles

SPORTS 26.03.2022

Schumacher in high speed crash in Saudi GP qualifying as Hamilton struggles

Mick Schumacher suffered a horrendous high speed crash in qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Saturday as Lewis Hamilton failed to make it out of the opening Q1 session for the first time in five years.

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Schumacher in his second season in Formula One bounced off the Jeddah street circuit barrier after losing control of his Haas car when clipping a kerb.

Medics were on the scene quickly, lifting him out of his stricken car into an ambulance.

"We've heard that Mick is conscious, out of the car and currently on his way to the medical centre," his team posted on Twitter.

Two wheels were torn away from the car in the impact during the Q2 session.

The 23-year-old son of German F1 legend Michael Schumacher was reported to have been able to remove his own gloves as he departed in an ambulance.

Haas later added that Schumacher appeared "physically fine" and had spoken to his mother.

The session was red-flagged after the estimated 240 kph accident in which the rear of the Haas car was split asunder from the main monocoque and body.

It was the second red flag in the session following an earlier high-speed collision by Williams' Nicholas Latifi in Q1. The Canadian escaped unhurt.

The crash came towards the end of a Q2 session which in a major shock did not feature Hamilton who was knocked out of the first qualifying session for the first time since 2017.

Mercedes' seven-time world champion has 103 poles to his name, but in a major upset will start Sunday's race from towards the rear of the grid.

As Q1 drew to a close Hamilton was languishing in 16th with only the top 15 progressing, but failed to make it out of the drop zone with his last flying lap.

He was knocked out of Q1 in Brazil five years ago after a crash but the last time he failed to progress to Q2 on pace alone was at the British Grand Prix in 2009.

Hamilton had struggled throughout practice in his 'bouncing' new Mercedes, but new team-mate George Russell appeared to overcome that challenge as he progressed with the fourth-best time.

"I struggled with the balance of the car, not where I want to be," Hamilton told Sky Sports.

"Unfortunately just went the wrong way with the set up."

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc led the times in to Q2 as he maintained his early season form after winning in Bahrain last weekend.

D.Petit--PS