Lewis Hamilton Expresses Frustration Over Qualifying Struggles at Azerbaijan GP
Veteran Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has expressed his frustration with his qualifying performances this season, after another disappointing result at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Hamilton, a seven-time Formula 1 champion, clocked the seventh-fastest time during qualifying, 0.415 seconds behind his teammate George Russell. Despite a strong start in practice, Hamilton’s pace significantly dropped by Saturday, leaving him puzzled and frustrated.
Hamilton’s performance in Baku followed a familiar pattern seen throughout the 2024 season. On Friday, he set impressive second and third-fastest times during the practice sessions, feeling confident with the car’s balance. However, by Saturday, he struggled to match his earlier pace and finished almost half a second slower than Russell during Q2 and Q3. This marked another weekend where Hamilton was left perplexed by the sudden dip in performance, especially as the 104-time pole sitter had hoped for a much stronger showing.
Reflecting on his struggles after the session, Hamilton voiced his frustrations, highlighting that tire issues were at the core of his problems. Despite his experience and various adjustments, he could not get the tires to operate in their optimal window. In a post-qualifying interview with Sky Sports F1, Hamilton shared his disappointment, stating, “Same Saturday as always. The same thing that happens every Saturday. Yesterday the car was amazing, felt great. I honestly think it could have been at least second row today. Came today, and all of a sudden the tires don’t work at all, all day.”
Hamilton’s remarks reflect a growing concern with the tire performance throughout the season. He emphasized that the car’s drop in speed was directly linked to tire behavior, noting how difficult it had become to extract consistent performance over one lap. “It’s only the tires… I’m doing everything that I normally do and more. Trying everything absolutely with the tires. And we go out most often, and the tires are below the window, you can’t get them up. Every single Saturday, I’ve lost at least half a second to a second. Today I lost a second, compared to yesterday.”
The issue has become a recurring theme for Hamilton, as his teammate George Russell continues to outperform him in qualifying sessions. So far this season, Russell has outqualified Hamilton 13 times in 17 races, a stark contrast to their more balanced qualifying record in 2023. Last season, the two drivers were evenly matched in terms of one-lap pace, each finishing with 11-11 qualifying scores. However, in 2024, the gap between the two has widened, with Russell consistently edging ahead.
**A Broader Struggle with Qualifying**
Hamilton’s frustration with his qualifying struggles isn’t limited to the Azerbaijan GP. Earlier in the season, he voiced similar concerns following the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. After qualifying sixth, behind Russell who started third, Hamilton admitted that single-lap pace had become a weak point in his performance. “I am furious, absolutely furious,” he told reporters after the Monza session. “I could have been on pole, at least on the front row. I just didn’t do the job at the end… No one to blame but myself. Qualifying has been my weakness for a minute now, and I can’t figure it out.”
Despite these struggles, Hamilton has shown resilience in race conditions, often finishing higher than his starting position. Over the last eight races, he has consistently gained ground during the races, demonstrating better pace when it counts on Sundays. In Baku, he was aiming to repeat this trend and secure a strong finish in the 51-lap race. With Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri starting on the front row, followed by Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez, Hamilton’s battle would also include close rivals like Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso, who lined up alongside him.
Hamilton’s ongoing struggles with qualifying stand in stark contrast to his formidable career as one of F1’s greatest qualifiers. Known for his ability to deliver blistering lap times when it mattered, the British driver now finds himself in a situation where tire management and setup adjustments are holding him back. While his race pace remains competitive, the lack of qualifying performance puts him at a disadvantage, making it harder to challenge for victories from further back on the grid.
As the season progresses, Hamilton and the Mercedes team will need to address these tire issues if they want to close the gap to front-runners like Red Bull and Ferrari. With Russell consistently outperforming him on Saturdays, Hamilton’s qualifying performance remains an area of concern, particularly as he continues to seek his first victory of the season. For a driver with Hamilton’s competitive spirit and record-breaking career, finding a solution to these qualifying struggles will be crucial in maintaining his status as one of the sport’s top drivers.
In the meantime, Hamilton’s focus will likely shift to improving his race performance and taking advantage of strategy and tire management during Sunday’s races, where he has shown he can still compete with the best.
Lewis Hamilton is once more baffled by Mercedes’ drop in performance during Azerbaijan GP qualifying on a routine Saturday.
