Ferrari disappointment in Baku: Lewis Hamilton blames tyre issues for poor qualifying in Azerbaijan. Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari qualifying in Baku ended in frustration.

Ferrari: Hamilton was aiming for pole but struggles with the tyres

Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari endured another difficult day in Formula 1. During qualifying for the Baku Grand Prix, the British driver could not find the right balance with his SF-25. Confidence on this type of street circuit is crucial, and once again it was clear that Hamilton’s familiarity with the Ferrari was far from ideal. It was a shame, because the potential to achieve a strong result was there.

The number 44 SF-25 loses feeling at the key moment

The tyre department continues to be a major concern for the Scuderia. This had already been highlighted in the team’s preview, where Ferrari expressed confidence that they would be prepared on this front. Yet another opportunity slipped away, as the seven-time Formula 1 world champion was unable to get his tyres into the right operating window when it mattered most.

Already in Q1, while running the red-marked soft Pirellis, Lewis Hamilton advanced comfortably to the next session but still complained on the radio about the tyres. He could not find the ideal grip and believed the problem was linked to lap preparation. His race engineer, Riccardo Adami, replied that the compounds were below their optimum operating temperature – a serious issue at this level.

When the tyres fail to reach the target temperature, their grip levels are compromised. That inevitably reduces performance and lap time potential. The compound choice also became a decisive factor. In Q2, Hamilton’s number 44 SF-25 was the only car still running soft tyres, while the rest of the grid switched to the mediums.

As a result, Hamilton’s Ferrari slid heavily through the middle of the corners. The former Mercedes driver did what he could to complete a lap, but it was clear that the team’s decision had been a costly one. Under those specific conditions, the yellow-banded medium tyres offered much better balance. Ferrari’s pit wall will need to reflect on that choice and understand why they failed to make the soft compound work.

Hamilton demands answers, convinced the pace was there

In front of the television cameras, Hamilton was visibly frustrated. His comments were brief, but straight to the point. He insisted that the team’s execution in the second part of qualifying could and should have been much better. The handling of such a crucial phase left him disappointed.

Lewis Hamilton made it clear that he wanted a full analysis of what happened in Q2 to identify the reasons behind the lack of performance. He pointed out that all the drivers who reached the top 10 were running on medium tyres, while he only had two sets available, and none for that session. Watching his rivals being faster on the mediums was a painful reminder that more was possible.

He regretted that there was no chance to attempt another lap at the end of the stint. Theoretically, time was available, but the car was out of fuel. Returning to the pits for a refuelling stop would have taken too long and denied him the opportunity to go again. Despite the disappointment, Lewis Hamilton also wanted to highlight a few positive aspects that could be built upon for the race, small elements that gave him some encouragement for Sunday.

Still, the frustration was evident, especially for a team that had worked so hard to help him improve his feeling with the car. Hamilton admitted he wanted to deliver a strong result for the Ferrari crew. In fact, he believed that pole position was a genuine target, based on the confidence he had in the SF-25 before qualifying began. “It is what it is,” was how he summed up the session – a missed opportunity and another difficult day for Ferrari in Baku.