Lewis Hamilton voiced his disappointment with Ferrari’s tactics during the final qualifying session after he ended up sixth on the grid for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The seven‑time world champion felt the team’s decision to deviate from the original plan cost him valuable time and track position, especially on Baku’s long straight where a slipstream or "tow" can make a huge difference.
During the Q3 knockout stage, Hamilton observed that most of the front‑running teams – Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull – chose to run two short, low‑fuel runs early in the session, allowing them to capitalize on clean air and a clear track. In contrast, Ferrari opted for a single, longer run at the very end of the period. Hamilton questioned why the team didn’t follow the more conventional approach of getting a quick early run before the track got too congested.
He explained that by waiting until the end, he found himself without a car ahead to provide the aerodynamic tow that helps boost straight‑line speed on Baku’s main straight. His teammate, Charles Leclerc, benefitted from the opposite situation: because Leclerc was scheduled to go out second, Hamilton’s car was in front and could give him the much‑needed slipstream.
Leclerc’s strategy paid off, as the Monegasque qualified second, right behind the dominant Mercedes pole‑sitter George Russell, who topped the session by an impressive eight‑tenths of a second – a season‑high margin. Reflecting on his own performance, Hamilton told Sky Sports F1: "It was a pretty bad qualifying once again.
It's not for the lack of trying. Q1 and Q2 were pretty ok. At least Q1 was pretty decent, Q2 we struggled a little bit more, and then as we went into Q3 they changed the plan.
Instead of doing two runs we ended up waiting and then because I was ahead of Charles, I had nobody ahead of me on a tow so that was worth quite a chunk in itself. But, either way, we couldn't compete with the Mercedes. They are just outright so much quicker on the straights than us.
They did a great job." Hamilton’s comments highlighted two key issues. First, the lack of a tow on his final lap meant he lost a significant amount of straight‑line speed, which is crucial at Baku where the main straight stretches for over a kilometre. Second, the overall pace of the Mercedes cars, powered by the same power unit as the McLaren and Red Bull entries, left little room for the Mercedes‑powered Mercedes‑Ferrari duo to make up ground. Indeed, three of the five cars that lined up ahead of Hamilton – Russell, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris – all run Mercedes power units, underlining the engine advantage on this high‑speed circuit.
Looking ahead to the race, Hamilton admitted that overtaking a Mercedes on the straight will be a daunting task. "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 addressed the qualifying outcome in the post‑session press release. He acknowledged that the team had made "significant changes to the set‑up and to our approach, and they paid off today." Vasseur praised George Russell’s consistency from the first practice session and lauded Leclerc for securing a front‑row start, something Ferrari had not achieved since the Hungarian Grand Prix in July. Regarding Hamilton’s situation, Vasseur explained that the differing run plans made it difficult to synchronize a tow, and that Hamilton’s first lap in Q3 was compromised after he brushed the wall, further limiting his chances. Nevertheless, Vasseur noted that Hamilton recovered well enough to finish sixth despite the lack of a final‑lap tow.
Leclerc, delighted with the front‑row lock‑up, admitted that the gap to Russell was larger than expected. He said, "Honestly, it was quite a good lap. Lewis was three‑four seconds, I think, in front, and I managed to do a good lap at the end. But when I see the gap to George, maybe the lap wasn't good enough." Despite this, Leclerc remained optimistic about race day, emphasizing that Ferrari’s car often performs better in race conditions than in qualifying.
"We'll try, and we'll do our best," he said. "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 it will be the case again this weekend." Vasseur also touched on tyre expectations, stating that degradation should be minimal, which could elevate the importance of track position.
He added that, despite Ferrari’s recent lack of podium finishes, the team is in a strong position to collect valuable points, especially given Baku’s reputation for unpredictability. The weekend schedule includes a build‑up session at 10:30 am, the Grand Prix start at 12:00 pm, and post‑race analysis later in the afternoon. Sky Sports F1 will broadcast the event live, with additional coverage on Sky Sports Main Event. Fans can stream the race via NOW, with a flexible subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
Overall, Hamilton’s frustration underscores the fine margins that separate success from disappointment in Formula 1. While Ferrari’s strategic gamble earned Leclerc a front‑row start, it may have cost Hamilton a better grid position. The race will test whether the Monegasque can convert his qualifying advantage into a podium finish and whether Hamilton can overcome the engine power deficit and lack of slipstream to challenge the Mercedes‑powered leaders.