Lewis Hamilton reveals component on Mercedes F1 car “wasn’t correctly built”

Lewis Hamilton has revealed a component on his Mercedes F1 car “wasn’t correctly built” leading to his lack of performance in qualifying at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Hamilton endured a miserable weekend in Baku, finishing ninth after starting from the pit lane.

The seven-time world champion opted to start from the pits after taking a new power unit.

The decision was taken after Hamilton qualified seventh, four-tenths off teammate George Russell.

Hamilton was unable to recover from the back of the grid, ultimately finishing ninth, benefitting from a crash involving Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz.

Speaking to media including Crash.net after the race in Baku, Hamilton said: “We had a great car on Friday. We made the tiniest changes into Saturday. One of the components wasn’t correctly built. That led us the wrong way then on Saturday.

“We didn’t find out until the end of the day. Being this race was the best race they said at least to make the change.

“We need one engine as I lost one earlier. We knew it was going to be a tough day.”

Crash.net asked Hamilton what the component was but he refused to comment.

Despite fixing the car when it was taken out of parc ferme conditions, Hamilton struggled for race pace.

Onboard footage showed Hamilton driving in a peculiar way, turning in sharply - and not driving how he usually would.

The 39-year-old conceded the balance of his Mercedes was “one of the worst” he’s ever had in F1.

“It was the worst balance I’ve probably ever had so,” he added. “One of the worst balances. Basically I had so much front end but no rears I had to turn… it’s not the way you drive. I had to yank the steering to break the traction from the front, slide the front through every corner. It’s the weirdest way I had to drive.

“I knew that I wouldn’t be able to overtake. It’s difficult to follow in the middle, at least be close at the end. I don’t know why our pace was so bad on our side. It happens.”