Lewis Hamilton aims for podium finish in Azerbaijan despite qualifying setback
The seven-time world champion isn’t letting a disappointing qualifying session dampen his spirits ahead of Sunday’s race in Baku.
“Get into the top three. That’s been my goal,” Hamilton stated firmly.
What started as a promising weekend for the Ferrari driver quickly turned south when he was knocked out in the second round of qualifying. Hamilton, on used tires, couldn’t post a time fast enough to advance to Q3.
But he’s staying optimistic.
“I’m really hoping my pace was decent in Q2. My pace was the quickest,” Hamilton told reporters. “So I’m really hoping tomorrow that we’ve got this pace, we’ve got the straight line speed, we should hopefully be able to fight guys.”
The British driver believes there’s still everything to play for on the unpredictable Baku street circuit.
“So much can happen here with safety cars and all sorts of strategy can really come into play. So I’m just going to come into it as optimistic as possible.”
Baku has been kind to Hamilton in the past. He won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix back in 2018 while driving for Mercedes, though last year he could only manage ninth place.
If the 40-year-old manages to stand on the podium this Sunday, it would mark his first top-three finish since his blockbuster move to Ferrari for the 2025 season.
The street circuit is notorious for its chaos and unpredictability. Narrow sections, a long straight, and walls just inches away from the cars often lead to safety cars and race-changing moments.
Hamilton’s keeping his eyes on the prize despite starting further back than he’d hoped.
“I’m still going to try and get into the top three. That’s been my goal.”
