Lewis Hamilton denounced the Shock Q2 knockout on the Azerbaijan Grand Prix for his poor workforce technique again to the tire determination on Friday.
Hamilton was the quickest driver on the finish of follow on Friday and was anticipated to problem poles on Saturday, however as an alternative he would tie for twelfth after lifting 0.395 seconds to overlook the highest 10 berth. The unlucky final result was that Ferrari selected to decide on to ship Hamilton on a single tender tire for 2 flight laps through the Q2. Not solely have been neither laps ample for the third quarter, they weren’t quicker than Hamilton’s greatest occasions.
In the meantime, teammate Charles Leclerc was in a position to skate to the highest 10 after switching from a set of soppy tires to a set of extra steady media for the ultimate journey.
Hamilton most well-liked the identical tyre technique, however stated the workforce’s Friday follow program did not have sufficient medium set to drag it aside.
“The workforce selected to run me within the media at FP2,” he defined. “Charles was meant to do it within the second run of FP2, however since no person else was out to them, we selected to maintain it.
“There have been principally three media in each prime 10 (besides me) and I knew the media could be quicker.
Hamilton stated the workforce most well-liked to save lots of the remaining two medium tires for 2 runs within the third quarter.
“Properly, we’ve to get to the third quarter first,” Hamilton stated. “So it wasn’t one of the best run ultimately. I am undoubtedly disillusioned.”
However Britton admitted that he wasn’t as snug within the automobile on Saturday as he did on Friday, and pointed to a team-driven setup change, which left him confused.
“One of many issues that took into consideration was the little path the workforce was pushing to make use of among the setup,” he stated. “It did not really feel nearly as good because the FP2. But it surely felt like we have made lots of progress and we regarded fairly robust.
“To be sincere, I believed I used to be going to battle for the highest three as we speak. I believed I would get a pole as we speak. I have not felt all of it yr spherical. It is undoubtedly arduous to be on the twelfth day, however like I stated, I do not really feel it from my driving.
However his teammate Leclerc had the precise reverse suggestions after his personal certified disappointment. The Monaco native, who gained the earlier 4 pole positions in Baku in a row, crashed within the third quarter with out time within the fifteenth quarter, taking tenth place.
Leclerc stated the in a single day modifications made on Saturday improved the automobile, and he lamented the swap from tender tires to medium regardless of prequalifying his predictions that it could turn out to be a greater performer.
“I made an enormous change to qualifying the automobile, however within the first quarter I felt a lot better. Each lap on the tender made me really feel a lot better,” he stated. “We then proceeded to the medium we held as a result of we thought it was one of the best tires. Immediately, at these temperatures it was not possible to show them on.
“I do not assume that is the explanation, whether or not it is tough or not. I believe we lack lots of tempo within the medium. I used to be most likely 0.7 or 0.8 seconds away earlier than the error (touching the wall in flip 4 of Q2), and I used to be pushing like loopy.
“I had the identical perspective as Lewis. I believed there was a bonus to entering into Quali within the medium, and I put them on.
“We see it getting off monitor as a result of it will get so arduous, however Q2, I noticed the primary run, barely ran in my medium. I went many occasions and lengthy, and it was tender and I did not really feel a lot of a sense.
Regardless of his disappointment, Hamilton stated his racing objectives stay the identical.
“My tempo was respectable in FP2. I used to be quickest within the race tempo, so I actually hope there is a respectable tempo tomorrow,” he stated. “I am a straight pace good. We must always be capable to battle vehicles. There’s lots of issues that may occur right here with a secure automobile. Every kind of methods can actually work.
“I am nonetheless attempting to get into the highest three. That is been my objective all week. The place there is a will, there is a approach.”
