Hamilton frustration grows in chaotic Azerbaijan qualifying
- Damian Hall
- Sep 20
- 3 min read
Max Verstappen came out on top in Baku, while Sir Lewis Hamilton was left to rue a strategy call that ended his session early, reports Damian Hall.
Max Verstappen claimed pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after a qualifying session full of stoppages, changing conditions and no fewer than six red flags. The Red Bull driver set a benchmark of 1:41.117 to secure the top spot. Williams’ Carlos Sainz will start second on the grid, with Liam Lawson lining up third for Racing Bulls.
“It was difficult to get the lap together, with all the red flags,” Verstappen admitted. “Q3, with also the rain around, it was a very difficult session. In the final lap you just have to send it. I wasn’t even on the best tyres. I’m very happy with how the weekend has gone, we kept improving and we were there in qualifying, which is what counts.”
While Verstappen celebrated, the bigger story for many was Hamilton’s early exit in Q2. The Ferrari driver was left frustrated after urging the team to put him on the medium tyre, which had proven stronger across the weekend, only for his request to be denied. He dropped out in 12th place, later telling Sky Sports that “we just didn’t have the right tyre on in the end, it’s tough, everyone ahead of me basically had the medium tyre on.” He further explained that there was an option available to switch, but his request was turned down.
This comes just a few months after we spoke to Hamilton at Silverstone, where he revealed that he had been in discussions with the team about leaning more on his experience and instinct.
Hamilton’s early exit was the major talking point of Q2, but Haas' rookie Oliver Bearman crashed out at Turn 2, while both Aston Martins of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll were eliminated, as well as Kick Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto.
Qualifying began in chaotic fashion, with three separate red flags in Q1. Alex Albon was the first casualty, hitting the inside wall at Turn 1 and destroying the left front of his Williams. “My mistake obviously, a rookie mistake, nothing to say really, just a bit disappointed,” Albon admitted.
Nico Hülkenberg of Kick Sauber then collided with the barrier and left his damaged front wing on the track, prompting another stoppage. Alpine’s Franco Colapinto brought out a third red flag with contact at Turn 4, leaving several drivers scrambling to set a clean lap.
The final part of qualifying brought more drama as Charles Leclerc of Ferrari went into the barriers and triggered another stoppage. Moments later the skies opened and rain began to fall, turning Q3 into a lottery.
Only three drivers, Sainz, Lawson and rookie Isack Hadjar of Racing Bulls, managed to complete dry laps before conditions worsened. When the session briefly resumed, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri went into the barrier at Turn 3, bringing out yet another red flag and ending his own hopes.
Verstappen kept his composure when it mattered, seizing pole ahead of Sainz and Lawson. Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli delivered an impressive lap for fourth, followed by teammate George Russell in fifth and Yuki Tsunoda in sixth for Red Bull. Lando Norris will start seventh for McLaren, Hadjar eighth, Piastri ninth and Leclerc tenth after crashing out early in the session.
Sainz was satisfied with his own effort, saying: “We have nailed qualifying today, been on the right tyre at the right time. I have been putting good laps together in qualifying this year, and today we proved the speed is there.”
With Verstappen once again on pole, the Dutchman will be favourite heading into Sunday’s Grand Prix, but all eyes will also be on Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard has shown growing confidence this weekend and starting from the front row gives the team a rare chance to fight for a podium. Whether Williams can hold on in race conditions against the might of Red Bull and Mercedes will be the question when the lights go out in Baku.
Top 10:
Max Verstappen, Red Bull – 1:41.117
Carlos Sainz, Williams
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
George Russell, Mercedes
Yuki Tsunoda, Racing Bulls
Lando Norris, McLaren
Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
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