Lewis Hamilton refused to be disheartened by a disappointing Friday at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The Ferrari driver set the fifth-fastest time in FP2, over 1.3 seconds adrift of his former Mercedes teammate, but he still found positives from the practice sessions.
“It’s always a pleasure to drive at this circuit, and overall it was a productive day,” Hamilton said. “The first session was encouraging, we managed to complete several consistent laps and build a useful foundation. There are some aspects we need to analyse more deeply, but we gathered a lot of data that we’ll examine tonight.”
Ferrari were far from dominant in Baku. Early on, Charles Leclerc complained about the car’s balance, and the team had to work overtime to understand the issue. Nevertheless, Hamilton chose not to jump to conclusions.
Focus on Tyres
Hamilton stressed that tyre management is the key to improving the SF-26’s performance. “Tyre preparation remains an important aspect we need to focus on, especially to consistently bring them into the correct operating window. This has a significant impact on grip and overall balance, so it will be one of our priorities ahead of tomorrow’s qualifying.”
This aligns with the characteristics of the Baku circuit, which is notoriously tough on tyres, with a mix of fast corners and long straights that make temperatures fluctuate. Ferrari seemed to struggle to find the right setup, especially in race simulations with high fuel loads.
Despite this, Hamilton remains optimistic. He hopes to reverse Ferrari’s negative trend of four consecutive weekends without a podium. “We know what needs to be fixed. Tonight will be a long night, but I believe the team can find a solution,” he added.
Ferrari are also still searching for qualifying pace. The last time they secured a front-row start was in Barcelona, where Hamilton qualified second and won the race the following day. Now, with an SF-26 that is not yet fully competitive, the team must work hard to at least reach Q3 and fight at the front.
Hamilton himself does not want to be burdened by lofty targets. He prefers to focus on the process and gradual improvement. “We have to be realistic, but we must not lose motivation. Every session is a chance to learn,” he concluded.
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