Azerbaijan GP: Lewis Hamilton pleased by ‘sweet lap’ as George Russell admits mistake led to Q2 exit

Lewis Hamilton was pleased with the “sweet lap” that secured him fifth in Azerbaijan Grand Prix Qualifying as Mercedes team-mate George Russell was left bemoaning a “mistake” that led to a surprise Q2 exit. 

Russell suffered a shock early exit in Q2 and will start Sunday’s Grand Prix in 11th, with Hamilton in fifth after being unable to keep up with the Ferraris and Red Bulls, Charles Leclerc securing pole position.

Despite what seemed a disappointing afternoon, Hamilton cut an upbeat figure following Friday’s Qualifying session that sets the grid for Sunday’s race and is ready to move closer to the “battle” in front of him.

“We are trying as hard as we can and giving it absolutely everything out there but timing, rhythm, and pulling out everything is really not easy on this track,” said Hamilton.

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Charles Leclerc joined Karun Chandhok at the SkyPad to look back at his pole lap in Baku

“I think in Q2 I struggled. I had more pace I just didn’t get that last lap then my Q3 run was a really sweet lap.

“I just matched it at the end but I needed just a little bit more time to nip a Ferrari.

“We can’t make any changes to the car so this is the pace we have. I might be able to eke a little bit more out tomorrow if I do some studying tonight but this is definitely a good position to start on Sunday.

“Naturally this is not the position we want as a team, we exist to win, but everyone has that winning mindset and is working as hard as we can.

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Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc edges out Red Bull rival Max Verstappen to claim pole position for the third straight time in Baku

“We haven’t had that upgrade this weekend but we are hopefully working towards one that will get us a little bit closer to the battle ahead.

“I didn’t realise we would have such a huge deficit on the straights but it is a good indicator.

“We are slower on the straights and slower in the middle sector so we have got a lot of work to do to rectify that.

“The car isn’t the easiest one to drive but I am happy to be on the third row and hopefully tomorrow we can have a bit of a battle.”

Russell: We will try to fight back in Sprint

Despite positives for Hamilton, Russell suffered his worst Qualifying session of the 2023 season so far with his Q2 exit and confirmed a “mistake” on his part.

However, the Briton remains confident that he can fight back in the Sprint on Saturday to earn the team some points.

“We are not fast enough this weekend. Obviously, I would have loved to have been in Q3 but I was giving it everything,” said Russell.

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George Russell was disappointed after failing to get into Q3 and will start 11th at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

“The lap was strong and I made a mistake in my last one. It may have just crept me into Q3 but I don’t think we would have got higher than P8.

“It is a funny sport sometimes going from qualifying on the front row to being out in Q2 and Lewis just getting into Q3 with P10.

“We have got another chance tomorrow but not an ideal Friday for sure.

“I wasn’t feeling great in practice. I was sat in the garage for quite a long time doing a few bits and bobs but it is so easy in hindsight to say should’ve, could’ve, would’ve.

“The last Sprint race we had we hit the ground running and we were flying every session and this one it has been the opposite and that is the way it goes sometimes in these events.

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Here’s what you can look forward to during coverage of this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix

“I think right now we wouldn’t really know what we needed to change to find the pace we need around this track.

“It is definitely a unique one compared to the first three races we have been to.

“I see no reason why we can’t fight back on Sunday and we will see what we can do tomorrow.”

Wolff: Upgrades will come in Imola

Although it was an afternoon of mixed fortunes for the Brackley team, Mercedes are remaining level-headed and focusing on upgrades that are set to come in Imola.

Indeed for Team Principal Toto Wolff, it is about focusing on doing “what they can” with their current package until improvements arrive.

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Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff admits they’re struggling to maximise the performance of their car following Qualifying in Baku

“It is confusing with the times [of the sessions] but we are struggling,” said Wolff.

“It is so tiny the margins behind the top three so we have got to do the best out of it.

“We are losing it in three corners. We are pretty matched with Max and Leclerc in the first two corners and the end but in the middle bit the Ferrari is outstanding.

“I think we have it in a good window but generally the car is not stable for the drivers.

“We didn’t put any upgrade on the car, that comes for Imola, so we have to do what we can with this package.”

How will Saturday work at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix?

The Sprint Shootout will follow the same three-session knockout format as usual Qualifying, but each Q1, Q2 and Q3 segment has been shortened to address engine and tyre concerns the teams had.

SQ1 has been shortened from 18 minutes to 12 minutes.

SQ2 has been shortened from 15 minutes to 10 minutes.

SQ3 has been shortened from 12 minutes to eight minutes.

The aim is that each car would only have one flying lap in each session, although two runs could be done in SQ1 while SQ2 and SQ3 would allow time for two timed laps without a pitstop in between attempts.

The other significant difference between the Sprint Shootout and regular Qualifying will be restrictions on tyre usage.

While teams are free to use any of their available tyres in regular Qualifying, in the Sprint Shootout new sets of tyres will be mandatory in each of the three parts, with medium compounds in SQ1 and SQ2 followed by a switch to softs in SQ3.

The Sprint race will then follow.

Formula 1 is back! Watch the Azerbaijan Grand Prix live on Sky Sports F1 this weekend. Saturday’s Sprint Showdown at 9am, the Sprint at 1:30pm, and Sunday’s race at 12pm. Get Sky Sports