Hamilton leads Ferrari in Baku: “Thanks to the Lord”

Baku, Azerbaijan – After leading Friday practice, Lewis Hamilton praised Ferrari’s patience in the face of their recent difficulties and summed up his mood with a simple phrase: “Thank God.” Hamilton, along with his teammate Charles Leclerc, achieved a one-two finish for Ferrari in the second practice session, a result that is usually indicative of the car’s pace. Ferrari had discreetly expressed its confidence in being competitive this weekend at the Baku street circuit, and Hamilton, who has yet to achieve a Grand Prix podium since joining Ferrari this year, was optimistic after getting out of the car.

“It’s really been a positive day, thank God,” Hamilton said.

Lewis Hamilton

The seven-time world champion achieved the fastest time in FP2 after brushing the wall in FP1.

The pilot explained that the first practice wasn’t so positive, mentioning problems with the brakes. However, after making adjustments, the brakes worked perfectly in the second session, which allowed him to gain an advantage.

“I am very happy to see the progress. It demonstrates the direction we have taken as a team. I am very grateful for everyone’s patience and hard work, because we are really starting to see the results,” added Hamilton.

Lewis Hamilton

While Leclerc and team boss Fred Vasseur had pointed to Baku as a possible victory opportunity, Hamilton was cautious about Ferrari’s chances of overcoming the dominant McLaren cars. McLaren drivers, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, brushed the wall in the second practice, finishing in the rear positions. Hamilton, even with caution, expressed his gratitude for the support received and the energy of the fans, hoping to carry that energy throughout the rest of the season. Hamilton’s teammate, Leclerc, who has achieved four consecutive poles in Baku without winning the race, suggested that McLaren’s problems in FP2 masked their true pace.

“I think there’s a lot more potential, especially from my side, I didn’t do a great job today, but overall we seem to be quite strong, so that’s good. But… and there’s a big but… it seems that McLaren is in another world, literally, and I think people will be very surprised tomorrow, because Lando didn’t complete some laps that were very, very impressive.

Charles Leclerc