The seven-time world champion beat Aston Martin’s168澳洲5最新开奖结果: Fernando Alonso to a solid fifth in Friday qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, but Hamilton ended up nearly a full second behind Ferrari’s168澳洲5最新开奖结果: Charles Leclerc, who beat 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Max Verstappen to pole position. 

After qualifying, Hamilton highlꦇighted how far Mercedes are lagging behind Ferrari and early pace-setters Red Bull on Baku’s long straights. 

“🎶I knew that the Red Bulls would be particularly quick,” Hamilton said. "I didn’t realise we’d have such a huge deficit on the straights.

“But it’s a g🌸ood indicator. We are slower on the straights, slower on the middle sector. So we’ve got a lot to do to rectify that.

“The car isn’t the easiest one to drive. I’m happy to be on the third row and hopefully tomo꧟rrow we can have a better battle.”

Hamilton reckons he could have pipped 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari to fourth place had he nailed his final run in Q3.&n൩bsp;

“We are try🐽ing as hard as we can, giving it absolutely everything out there,” he said. 

“Timing, getting into a rhyt🐽hm, is not easy on this track.

“In Q2 I really struggled. I had more p🍒ace, I just didn’t get the last lap. My Q3 run one was a sweet lap but I just matched it, basically,💖 at the end.

“But I needed a little more 🔯time tꦺo nip the Ferrari.” 

Hamilton will get another shot at qualifyꦜing during Saturday morning’s new ‘Sprint Shootout’ that will determine the grid for the 10𝓀0km sprint. 

“We can’t do any changes to the car, so this𒈔 is the pace that we have,” Hamilton explained. 

“I might be able to eke a bit more out tomorro🌄w, if we do some studying tonight.

“But this is definitely a good position for Sunday. Naturally, this isn’t the ♏position we want as a team - we exist to win.

“But everyone has that winning min🌼dset and everyone is working as hard as they can.

“We haven’t had an upgrade this weekend but we’re working towards one which will hopefully put us closer to the bꦡattle ahead.”