Lewis Hamilton failed to reach Q3 in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying after being prevented from running the medium tire, a decision he says affected his race preparation at the Baku City Circuit. The seven-time world champion had shown promising pace throughout Friday’s practice sessions and was anticipated to contend for pole position, but his qualifying effort fell short, leaving him outside the top 10.
Unexpected Setback for Ferrari Driver Amid Positive Momentum
Hamilton’s qualification result continues a series of underwhelming outcomes since joining Ferrari, despite recent improvements at the last three grands prix. After Friday’s sessions, the Scuderia showed promise with both drivers, but changing track conditions on Saturday complicated their strategy. Hamilton expressed his disappointment to Sky Sports UK, stating that although the car felt good during practice, the chosen direction did not deliver the expected advantage.
“Honestly, I am so disappointed. Yesterday, the car was feeling good. Today, there was some direction that we ended up going which, on paper looked like it was the best place for us to be,”
Hamilton said.
Medium Tire Decision and Its Impact on Hamilton’s Qualifying
Unlike many of his competitors, Hamilton was prevented from using the medium tire in qualifying. Most drivers favored the medium compound to advance to Q3, but Hamilton was forced to rely on the soft tire after losing the medium tire in FP2 due to the team’s run plan schedule. This limitation put him at a disadvantage during qualifying. He explained,
“Our pace had been good, we had been progressing and I was feeling really on it, didn’t make any mistakes, didn’t go down any exit roads. We just didn’t have any rear tire in the end. It’s tough. Everyone ahead of me had a medium tire but I lost a medium in FP2 due to run plan schedule and that put me on the back foot.”
– Lewis Hamilton, Driver
Only four drivers attempted to reach Q3 on the soft tire, with two McLaren drivers successfully making it through on that compound. When asked whether he could have used the medium tire like many others, Hamilton confirmed he wanted to but was advised against it due to a lengthy warm-up, resulting in insufficient time and fuel to run the medium tire in qualifying.
“Yeah, but the choice wasn’t taken to take it. I wanted to but they said the warm-up was too long or something like that so then we run out of time and I ran out of fuel.”
– Lewis Hamilton, Driver
Hamilton Reflects on the Disappointing Outcome and Future Focus
Despite the setback, Hamilton acknowledged the positives from the weekend and maintained resolve. He said,
“So not great but we will take it internal. As I said there have been lots of positives from this weekend, I have felt really on it. I honestly thought I was going to be shooting for pole today so it is a bit of a shock. I will take it on the chin.”
– Lewis Hamilton, Driver
Hamilton’s qualifying result at the Baku City Circuit underscores ongoing challenges with Ferrari’s race strategy, especially concerning tire selection under changing conditions. As the season progresses, how Ferrari and Hamilton adapt their qualifying strategies may prove critical to maximizing their competitiveness on diverse circuits.
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