Lewis Hamilton voiced his irritation after the qualifying session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where he ended up sixth on the grid, citing a last‑minute change in Ferrari's plan as a key factor. In his post‑session interview, Hamilton questioned why Ferrari opted for a single, short run at the very end of the Q3 knockout phase instead of sending Charles Leclerc out earlier for a longer stint, as his rivals from Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull had done.
The seven‑time world champion explained that his final flying laps suffered because he lacked the aerodynamic benefit of a tow – the slipstream effect generated by a car ahead that can boost straight‑line speed on Baku's long main straight. In contrast, Leclerc enjoyed a tow from Hamilton when he went out second in the final qualifying round, giving the Monegasque a clear advantage.
Leclerc ultimately secured second place on the grid, trailing the pole‑sitting Mercedes driver George Russell, who posted a season‑best half‑second advantage over the rest of the field. 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 fairly decent – at least Q1 felt solid, Q2 we struggled a bit more – and then, as we moved 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 in front to give me a tow, which cost me a significant chunk of time. In any case, we just couldn't match the Mercedes.
They are simply much quicker on the straights, and they did an excellent job." Hamilton added that three of the five cars ahead of him – Russell, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris – all run Mercedes power units, making overtaking a daunting prospect on race day. "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, speaking after the qualifying session, defended his team's approach: "We made some significant changes to the set‑up and to our approach, and they paid off today. 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.
On Lewis' side, 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 celebrated Ferrari's first front‑row start since the Hungarian Grand Prix in July, was pleased with his lap time but admitted the gap to Russell was larger than expected. "Honestly, it was quite a good lap," he said. "Lewis was three‑four seconds ahead, 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 shortfall, Leclerc remained optimistic about the race. "We'll try, and we'll do our best," he added. "Whether that'll be enough, only time will tell.
But we know that we have a good race car, often better in the race than in qualifying, and I hope that will be the case again this weekend." Vasseur also highlighted the expected low tyre degradation in Baku, suggesting that track position could be decisive: "Tyre degradation is expected to be very low, which could make track position particularly important. We are in a position to score good points with both cars, even if Baku is always unpredictable." The Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend features a packed schedule, with an F2 Feature Race at 7:55 am, a build‑up session for the Grand Prix at 10:30 am, the main race at 12:00 pm, followed by post‑race analysis and commentary throughout the afternoon.
The event will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 and streamed via NOW, offering viewers a contract‑free, cancel‑anytime option. As the race approaches, Hamilton's frustration underscores the strategic chess match that defines modern Formula 1. While Ferrari's decision to alter their Q3 plan may have cost Hamilton a better grid position, the team hopes their strong qualifying performance and low‑degradation tyre outlook will translate into a competitive race pace. For Mercedes, the challenge will be to convert their pole‑winning speed into a race win, while McLaren and Red Bull will look to capitalize on any openings created by the front‑runners.
The Baku street circuit, known for its long straight and tight corners, promises high‑speed drama and potential surprises, making the upcoming Grand Prix one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the 2026 season.