The seven-time world champion beat Aston Martin’s168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: 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澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: Charles Leclerc, who beat 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Max Verstappen to pole position. 

After qual♏ifying, Hamilton highlighted 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 haꦑve such a huge deficit on the straights.

“But it’s a good indicator. We are slower on the strai💖ghts, 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 tomorroꦆw we can have a bette♒r battle.”

Hamilton reckons he could have pipped 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari to ﷽fourt𒅌h place had he nailed his final run in Q3. 

“We aꦛre trying as hard as we can, giving it absolutely everything out there,” he said. 

“Timing, getting into a rhythm, is not easy on this trackꦬ.

“In Q2 I really struggled. I had more pace, I just didn’t get the last lap. My Q3 run one was a sweet lap but I just matche🧸d it, basically, at the end.

“But I needed a little more time to nip the Ferrarღiꦕ.” 

Hamilton will get another shot at qualifying during Saturday m🐟orning’s new ‘Sprint Shootout’ 🍌that will determine the grid for the 100km sprint. 

“We can’t do aไny changes to the car, so this is the pace th🌞at we have,” Hamilton explained. 

“I might be able tꦯo eke a bit more out tomorrow, if we do some studying tonight.

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

“But everyo🔯ne has that winniꩵng mindset 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 battle ahead.”