Hamilton blames strategic error and tyre struggles in Baku Qualifying woes
Lewis Hamilton has expressed significant frustration following a difficult qualifying session at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, pointing to both technical struggles and a strategic misstep by Ferrari. The seven-time world champion found himself struggling to find rhythm throughout the sessions in Baku, eventually finishing sixth in Q3 while his teammate, Charles Leclerc, secured a spot on the runner-up line.
A 'Perfect Storm' of Technical and Strategic Issues
Hamiltonâs performance trended downward as the qualifying segments progressed. After outperforming Leclerc by exactly one tenth in Q1, he fell behind by 0.257s in Q2 and 0.495s in Q3. The driver identified two primary culprits for this lack of pace: persistent tyre issues and a lack of slipstream during his critical Q3 run.
âWe've been struggling all weekend to get the tyres working,â Hamilton remarked, noting that while Q1 felt relatively stable, the rear tyres became increasingly difficult to manage in Q2.
The situation was compounded by Ferrariâs decision to switch to a single-run plan for Q3. This strategy left Hamilton running without anyone ahead of him to provide a tow. âAfter Q2 they decided to change the run plan and just do one run, which hadnât foreseen the fact that I would come out with no one ahead of me... It was 25 seconds behind George [Russell],â he explained. He noted that he provided a significant tow to Leclerc at the end of the session, but found himself isolated.
Assessing Ferrari's Competitive Standing
Despite the setback, Hamilton remains cautious about the Scuderia's true pace. While he felt a towâsimilar to what he experienced in FP3âcould have theoretically granted him a front-row start, he does not believe the Ferrari is the second-fastest car on the grid.
âMaybe the third-fastest car,â Hamilton suggested, adding that Max Verstappen appeared quicker throughout the weekend. This assessment follows a pattern of difficult sessions for the driver, including moments where Ferrari's fundamental car issues have played a role in his results.
In a particularly stark result, Hamilton qualified more than a second behind pole position for the first time in 2026, trailing Mercedes' George Russell by 1.332s. When describing the session as a âperfect stormâ where nothing went right, the veteran driver remained stoic: âIt happens all the time, so I'm used to it.â
Simone Scanu
Heâs a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.