'I'm so sorry': Mercedes boss admits Hamilton's car is not worthy of a world champion

 • Lewis Hamilton had one of the worst F1 weekends at Mercedes. • He was eliminated in Q2 during Qualifying for the Sprint race. • Hamilton started 14th and ended 13th while teammate George Russell finished 4th. • For more stories, visit Wheels24.

Wolff spoke on team radio and then to reporters after a desultory day for Hamilton who finished the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in a lowly 13th while Mercedes teammate George Russell was fourth.

Adding insult to injury, Hamilton was lapped by his recent nemesis world champion Max Verstappen.

Verstappen won the race ahead of Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez to trim Charles Leclerc's lead in the title race to 27 points with Lando Norris finishing third for McLaren.

Russell, 24, competing in the same difficult 'porpoising' and under-performing Mercedes car as the 37-year-old seven-time champion has now beaten Hamilton in each of the last three races.

"Let's keep working hard" ??Toto and Lewis reflect on a tough race #ImolaGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/766fQRrCWQ

"We are not good enough for a world champion - and we just need to fix the car," said Wolff.

On team radio, he apologised to Hamilton as soon as the race ended.

"I am sorry for what you had to drive today. I know it was undriveable. This was a terrible race."

Hamilton responded: "No worries, Toto. Just keep working hard."

Hamilton's most humbling moment in a desultory race came when he was lapped by Verstappen who enjoyed an easy pass for the race-leading Red Bull.

Sunday's result was one of Hamilton's worst since he joined Mercedes.

His only previous pointless finish came at last year's Azerbaijan Grand Prix where he was 15th.

His previous worst run of results came in 2009 when he struggled in an uncompetitive McLaren and registered his worst