Lewis Hamilton voiced clear disappointment with Ferrari’s tactics during the final qualifying segment (Q3) after he settled for sixth place at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The British driver argued that the team’s decision to deviate from the original plan cost him valuable time and track position, especially on Baku’s ultra‑long straight where a slipstream, or "tow," can make a decisive difference. In his post‑session interview with Sky Sports F1, Hamilton explained that while his first two qualifying phases (Q1 and Q2) had gone relatively smoothly, the last stage was marred by a sudden change in strategy. "We started Q3 with a clear plan, but then the plan changed," he said.
"Instead of running two short runs to maximise the chance of a clean lap, we waited. Because I was ahead of Charles on the track, I had no car in front to give me a tow, and that loss of straight‑line speed on the main straight was huge." Hamilton’s frustration stemmed from the fact that his teammate, Charles Leclerc, benefited from a tow when he headed out second in the final session. Leclerc, who qualified second behind Mercedes driver George Russell, was able to use Hamilton’s slipstream to boost his speed down the long Baku straight, a tactic that Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull had all employed earlier in the session. The lack of a similar aerodynamic advantage left Hamilton at a disadvantage, and he felt the altered run plan prevented him from extracting the maximum performance from his Mercedes.
The seven‑time world champion also highlighted the sheer pace advantage of the Mercedes power unit on the straight sections of the circuit. "Mercedes are just outright faster on the straights," Hamilton admitted. "They did a great job, and we simply couldn’t match them without that tow." Looking ahead to the race, Hamilton warned that overtaking a Mercedes on the Baku circuit would be a formidable challenge. "I think it’s going to be hard to overtake a Mercedes tomorrow," he said.
"Keeping up with a Mercedes engine on the straight will be tough, but I’ll give it everything I’ve got." Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur offered his perspective in the post‑qualifying press release. He explained that the team had introduced significant setup changes and a revised approach to the knockout phase, which he believed had paid off. "George has been very strong since the first lap of FP1, but Charles did a good job to put the car on the front row," Vasseur noted. Regarding Hamilton’s situation, he said, "It was difficult to get a tow because the different run plans made it complicated to synchronise with the other cars.
He also brushed the wall on his first lap in Q3, which compromised that attempt, but he recovered well to finish sixth despite not having a tow on his final lap." Leclerc, who secured Ferrari’s first front‑row start since the Hungarian Grand Prix, expressed satisfaction with his lap time but acknowledged that the gap to Russell was larger than anticipated. "Honestly, it was quite a good lap," he said. "Lewis was three‑four seconds in front, and I managed a strong lap at the end.
But when I see the gap to George, maybe the lap wasn’t good enough." Despite the qualifying shortfall, Leclerc remained optimistic about the race. He highlighted the strong long‑run pace his car displayed in practice and suggested that Ferrari often performs better in race conditions than in a single flying lap. "We’ll try, and we’ll do our best," Leclerc affirmed. "Whether that’ll be enough, only time will tell.
But we know that we have a good race car, more often than not better in the race than in qualifying, and I hope that will be the case again this weekend." Vasseur added that tyre degradation at the Baku street circuit is expected to be minimal, making track position a critical factor. "Tyre wear should be very low, which could make track position particularly important," he explained. "We are in a position to score good points with both cars, even if Baku is always unpredictable." The broader context of the weekend includes a packed schedule: a Formula 2 Feature Race at 7:55 am, a Grand Prix build‑up session at 10:30 am, and the main race itself at 12:00 pm on Saturday, followed by post‑race analysis and commentary throughout the afternoon.
Sky Sports F1 will broadcast the entire event live, with additional coverage on the Sky Sports Main Event channel. In summary, Hamilton’s main grievance lies in Ferrari’s decision to alter their qualifying run plan, which deprived him of a crucial aerodynamic tow and left him vulnerable to the superior straight‑line speed of the Mercedes cars.
While Ferrari’s strategic changes earned Leclerc a front‑row start, the team acknowledges the challenges ahead, particularly in managing tyre wear and capitalising on track position. As the race approaches, both drivers and teams will be looking to translate their qualifying performances into a competitive race strategy, hoping to maximise points in a circuit known for its high‑speed straights and unpredictable weather conditions.