Lewis Hamilton voiced clear disappointment with the way Ferrari handled the final qualifying segment (Q3) after he settled for sixth place on the grid for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The seven‑time champion said the team’s decision to alter their original plan left him at a disadvantage, especially on Baku’s long main straight where a slipstream, or "tow," can make a huge difference in straight‑line speed. During the post‑session interview, Hamilton explained that Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull all chose to run multiple short laps early in Q3, giving each driver the chance to benefit from a clean air run followed by a tow from a car ahead. In contrast, Ferrari opted for a single, longer run at the very end of the knockout stage.
Because Hamilton was ahead of his teammate Charles Leclerc on the track, he had no car in front to provide the aerodynamic push he needed. Leclerc, who started his final run second, did receive a tow from Hamilton, which helped him secure a front‑row start. Leclerc’s performance was impressive: he qualified second, just behind Mercedes driver George Russell, who claimed pole with a season‑best half‑second advantage over his rivals. Hamilton, however, felt his own final laps were compromised.
"It was a pretty bad qualifying once again. It's not for lack of trying," he told Sky Sports F1.
"Q1 and Q2 were okay – Q1 was decent, Q2 we struggled a little more, and then as we went into Q3 they changed the plan. Instead of doing two runs we ended up waiting, and because I was ahead of Charles, I had nobody ahead of me on a tow, which cost me a significant chunk of time." He added that even without the tow, the Mercedes cars were simply faster on the straights. "They are just outright so much quicker on the straights than us.
They did a great job," Hamilton said, acknowledging the superior pace of the British team. The three cars positioned ahead of Hamilton on the starting grid – Russell’s Mercedes and the McLaren pair of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris – all run Mercedes power units, giving them a clear advantage in a circuit where engine power is paramount. Looking ahead to the race, Hamilton admitted overtaking a Mercedes would be a tall order.
"I think it's going to be hard to overtake a Mercedes tomorrow. Keeping up with a Mercedes engine on the straight will be tough, but I'll give it everything I've got," he remarked, emphasizing his determination despite the qualifying setback.
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur offered his perspective in the post‑qualifying press release. He highlighted that the team had introduced several significant setup changes and a revised approach, which ultimately paid off by delivering a front‑row start for Leclerc. "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 said. Regarding Hamilton’s situation, he explained that the differing run strategies made it difficult to synchronize a tow for the British driver.
Vasseur also noted that Hamilton brushed the wall on his first lap of Q3, further compromising his attempt, yet he managed to recover and finish sixth despite the lack of a final‑lap tow. Leclerc, celebrating Ferrari’s first front‑row appearance since the Hungarian Grand Prix in July, praised his own lap but admitted the gap to Russell was larger than expected.
"Honestly, it was quite a good lap," he said. "Lewis was three‑four seconds 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 the race, pointing to the strong long‑run pace the team displayed in practice. "We'll try, and we'll do our best," he 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 it will be the case again this weekend." Vasseur added that tyre degradation in Baku is expected to be minimal, which could elevate the importance of track position.
"We are in a position to score good points with both cars, even if Baku is always unpredictable," he concluded. The weekend schedule is packed: the F2 Feature Race kicks off at 7:55 am, followed by the Grand Prix build‑up at 10:30 am, the main race at 12:00 pm, and post‑race analysis later in the afternoon. Sky Sports F1 will broadcast the event live, with streaming available via NOW for viewers who prefer an online option without a long‑term contract. In summary, Hamilton’s frustration stems from a strategic shift by Ferrari that left him without the aerodynamic assistance he needed in the crucial final qualifying minutes.
While Leclerc’s front‑row start showcases the effectiveness of the new approach, the British driver now faces a challenging race weekend where overcoming the power advantage of Mercedes‑powered rivals will be essential. Both teams will need to balance tyre management, track position, and race‑day execution to maximize their points haul in Baku, a circuit renowned for its unpredictability and high‑speed drama.