During the Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying at the Baku City Circuit, Lewis Hamilton experienced a frustrating setback after failing to advance beyond the Q2 stage. Despite entering the weekend with expectations to compete among the fastest qualifiers, Hamilton’s final grid position was P12, a result he attributes to Ferrari’s strategic misstep regarding tyre selection.
Hamilton explained that Ferrari’s decision to use soft tyres, which were considered slower, instead of the faster medium tyres in Q2 cost him a spot in the pole position shootout. This error was critical as the medium tyre was demonstrably quicker throughout qualifying, resulting in Hamilton lagging behind competitors who opted differently.
Details of the Tyre Strategy and Its Impact on Hamilton’s Performance
Hamilton had started the weekend well, finishing Friday’s practice sessions at the top of the timesheets, but Saturday’s qualifying session proved difficult. The 2024 Azerbaijan GP qualifying set a new record with six red flags interrupting the session, adding to the challenge of timely tyre and strategy decisions.
During qualifying, Hamilton said,
“The medium tyre was just much quicker,”
highlighting the significance of tyre compounds in determining lap times. Ferrari initially intended for Charles Leclerc to use the medium tyre on his second Q2 run but decided instead to keep Hamilton on the medium while others were not using it. However, most of the top 10 drivers ended up running three sets of the medium tyre for optimal performance.
“We knew that the medium was quicker by, they said it was about three-tenths or something like that, and it felt great, and we should have run it in Q2.”
Hamilton added, emphasizing the strategic miscalculation that impacted his qualifying position.
Other Factors Contributing to Qualifying Challenges
When questioned about the potential role of strong winds around the Baku City Circuit affecting his performance, Hamilton dismissed this as a major factor. Instead, he pointed to the team’s directional choices during car setup that did not yield the expected improvements compared to Friday’s practice sessions.
He noted,
“One of the things that kind of factored into it was a bit of direction the team were pushing for us to go with some of the setup, that didn’t feel as good as [F]P2.”
Though progress was made, Hamilton admitted that the limited use of medium tyres placed him at a disadvantage.
“So ultimately, just not the best execution. So definitely disappointed. But, lots of positives to take.”
said Hamilton, reflecting a mix of frustration and cautious optimism despite the outcome.
Outlook for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and Other Qualifying Highlights
Despite the disappointment in qualifying, Hamilton remains optimistic about the race ahead and aims to finish within the top three positions. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc, who faced a difficult Q3 due to a wall impact, will start from P10. The session was also marked by incidents involving other drivers, including Oscar Piastri, whose crash ended his hopes in qualifying, while Fernando Alonso hinted at a possible retirement, adding to the day’s drama.
The qualifying session concluded with Max Verstappen securing pole position, capitalizing on Ferrari’s errors and the chaotic conditions that led to numerous interruptions. Hamilton’s experience illustrates how small strategic decisions can dramatically affect outcomes in Formula 1’s intense competition.
