WATCH: Lewis Hamilton trades disappointing Azerbaijan GP qualifying result for an evening with fans in Baku
Lewis Hamilton hopes for a better battle on Sunday.
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(Image via Sports Illustrated)
Lewis Hamilton qualified fifth for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and was not too disheartened with the result. Yet, he was surprised by his team’s “huge deficit” against Red Bull and Ferrari on the straights. Mercedes lacked straight-line speed, and it cost Hamilton’s teammate George Russell a solid place on the grid for the main race on Sunday. Russell will start P11.
After the qualifying session, Hamilton shared an image of him working late on social media with the caption, “P5 on Sunday. Digging deep and working late to give it everything we can for the rest of the weekend. I’m focused. The team is focused. Just getting started.” Amid his late-night working hours, Hamilton made time for his fans in Baku. A fan shared an image and a video with Hamilton. They were thrilled to meet the Mercedes star and wished him well for the race.
The seven-time world champion is a popular driver on the grid. Fans travel across the world to watch Hamilton race. The Briton is known for engaging with his fans. The Mercedes driver previously said that he is there for his fans and they are not alone in their journey. Hamilton has a way of connecting with people. Apart from him, other drivers like Charles Leclerc also have a huge following and interact with the fans both online and offline.
Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes will go flat out on Sunday
Lewis Hamilton qualified behind Carlos Sainz for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. He reflected on the top-speed advantage of Red Bull. He also felt that Ferrari are quick in the middle sector. The Briton admitted his team needs to put in plenty of work to close the gap. Mercedes brought a revised rear wing to help reduce the drag. Max Verstappen hit 339.1kmph in the qualifying and Hamilton reached 335.5 kmph.
The 38-year-old knew about Red Bull’s pace coming into the Azerbaijan GP weekend. Hamilton was certain they would be quick. But he did not realize Mercedes would have a huge deficit in the straights. The team has analyzed the data and understood that they are slower on the straights and in the middle sector. Mercedes has to work towards improving the car in that aspect.
Nevertheless, Hamilton is happy to be on the third row despite not bonding with the W14 beast. According to him, there could have been a better qualifying session, but he is not comfortable with the car yet. Hamilton struggled in Q2, though he had more pace. He did not get the last lap. But he was satisfied with his Q3 run. In the midst of the hectic schedule, the drivers stop to interact with their fans. It often gives them the boost to perform better. And that’s exactly what Hamilton did after a long qualifying day at Baku.
In case you missed it:
- Male bias in motorsports hits the female drivers of F1 Academy hard
- F1 Azerbaijan GP: Charles Leclerc exudes confidence after achieving pole position, says “it will be four poles in a row”
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Sugantha Meena
(493 Articles Published)