Hamilton dealt MAJOR blow ahead of Japanese GP

Lewis Hamilton's torrid run to start the 2024 Formula 1 season has continued after yet more bad news headed into the Japanese Grand Prix weekend.

The Brit suffered a catastrophic engine failure on lap 17 of the Australian Grand Prix, which overshadowed Mercedes' total lack of pace.

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Without a race win in over two years and now embroiled in a midfield battle, it looks as if the seven-time champion picked the right time to leave the Brackley based outfit and join Ferrari.

There are 21 more races ahead of him for the Silver Arrows first, who have to find more pace in their car if they are to give him the send-off that his legacy warrants.

But it doesn’t look like there is any promising news around the corner, as Mercedes have revealed some bad news following an investigation back at base in Brixworth.

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Following Hamilton’s engine failure in Melbourne, the team took the time to disassemble and assess the damage to the power unit.

Sadly, it turns out that the problem is terminal and that the engine must be removed from the pool of availability that the seven-time champion has for the rest of the season.

It means that he is more than likely to take a penalty at some stage throughout the season and start towards the back of the grid at a circuit which allows overtaking.

Speaking about the matter, Mercedes’ communications director Bradley Lord told Sky Sports F1: “The status on the engine is it’s out of the pool.

“We had a really sudden bottom-end failure in that engine, having taken it back to the factory after Melbourne and tracked it back to a quality process problem rather than a design issue.

"But the status of it is that it’s out of the pool and he’s on his second power unit of the season for this weekend and going forward.”

READ MORE: Mercedes considering RADICAL move in bid to save 2024 season

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