Wolff apologises for blunder in Hamilton's team finale

Toto Wolff has apologised to Lewis Hamilton for Mercedes' "idiotic" mistake which saw the seven-time Formula One world champion suffer an early elimination in his final qualifying with the team.

Lando Norris led a McLaren one-two as the British team strengthened their grip on the constructors' championship, with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz qualifying third.

Hamilton's final act of a glittering 12-year stay at Mercedes began with a dismal Q1 elimination in Abu Dhabi after he was undone by a stray bollard on his final run.

Haas' Kevin Magnussen ran over the bollard, knocking it into Hamilton's path and it got stuck under the Mercedes as Hamilton qualified only 18th.

But Mercedes left it late for Hamilton to put in his fastest lap in Q1, a decision which an emotional team principal Wolff was furious about.

"I want to apologise to Lewis and to everyone in the team who worked so hard to make it a great end for him," Wolff told Sky Sports.

"We have totally let him down, an idiotic mistake of not going out earlier. Inexcusable. Inexcusable.

"I have rarely been so down about what has happened. Maybe it summarises the last races we had with him but this is the worst.

"It was just idiotic. Maybe without the bollard it would have worked but you don't risk so much in a Q1 where we had easily the pace to get out of it.

"Our most valuable racing driver ever, the greatest driver of this sport gets knocked out in Q1 because we made a mistake.

"That doesn't ruin the legacy we have with him but I can only say sorry to him.

"We would have had a real go for a podium and now it's pretty much impossible."

Hamilton has endured a difficult final season with the team which has delivered him six of his seven world championships, admitting on Thursday that he has struggled to manage his emotions after announcing the decision to join Ferrari in 2025, ahead of this season.

He is set to finish seventh in the drivers' standings, the lowest of his 18 seasons in the sport, but remains determined to end his stay with Mercedes on a high.

"Just my luck but it's OK," Hamilton told Sky Sports.

"We tried so hard with the setup and we got the car in a great place and was looking good, I was thinking 'maybe a podium is possible this weekend'.

"The car has been feeling decent. To go from P1/P2 to then be 18th definitely changes the weekend but I am still trying to be really present. The car has been completely different this weekend, so much better to drive.

"So my hopes are high. I will try and come back."