Hamilton complains about his bouncing Mercedes: 'This is dangerous for me'

Once again, Lewis Hamilton faced the press with a bemused expression. He did reach Q3, but Mercedes did not play more than a supporting role.

It is probably a mixture of disappointment and irritation about his car that surfaced with Hamilton. The seven-time world champion will start seventh on Sunday, two spots behind his teammate George Russell. Whether he will finish above seventh? The Briton doubts it: "We are the slowest on the straights," he sulked at Viaplay.

More annoyance seems to be the porpoising. On the long straights of the Baku circuit, Mercedes drivers were bouncing quite a bit in their cockpits. Hamilton had already gotten pain in his back from it during free practice yesterday. Then he did not even drive a Grand Prix distance. Today, too, the number of laps were limited.

Yet Hamilton complained of pain again after qualifying. That promises something for 51 laps in Baku. "This is dangerous for our back," he spoke almost admonishingly to his team Mercedes.