Lewis Hamilton was left frustrated after Ferrari changed its plan for the final part of Formula 1 qualifying at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion was compromised by running without a tow, leaving him sixth on the grid.
Hamilton revealed that Q1 and Q2 were decent, but when Q3 arrived, the team altered its approach. Instead of two runs, they waited, and because he was ahead of Charles Leclerc, he had no car ahead to provide a tow. “That was worth quite a chunk,” he told Sky Sports F1.
He ended up over 1.3 seconds off George Russell, who took a dominant pole. Leclerc, who benefited from Hamilton’s tow, was still 0.837s behind Russell. The Mercedes driver was simply in a league of his own, especially on the straights.
“We couldn’t compete with the Mercedes. They are just out-right so much quicker on the straights,” Hamilton added. He is not optimistic about overtaking them in the race. “It’s going to be hard, but I’ll give it everything I’ve got.”
Leclerc admitted that sixth and seventh might be expected, but the gap to Russell was a surprise. “Our straight-line speed is not our strength, but hopefully the race pace will be better,” he said.
Hamilton’s frustration highlights the fine margins in F1, where team decisions can make or break a qualifying session. Now, all eyes turn to the race, where Hamilton faces an uphill battle to reach the podium.
With Mercedes’ speed advantage, it won’t be easy. But as they say, it’s not over until the chequered flag. We’ll see what Hamilton can do on race day in Baku.
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