Hamilton felt no pressure: 'Clear that Max started at the back'

Lewis Hamilton seemed almost assured of pole position during the Russian Grand Prix. Partly due to the weather conditions, the Brit did not get further than P4.

The seven-time World Champion made a painful mistake during qualifying when he smashed his front wing on entering the pit lane. Although Hamilton has not been caught out by these mistakes often in the past, he argued that it has nothing to do with the battle he is having with Max Verstappen this season.

"It's really nothing to do with pressure, honestly. It really wasn't a pressure scenario. It's literally just [that] mistakes do happen," he explained in conversation with Autosport.com. "But it was clear that Max started at the back."

Painful mistake by Hamilton

Due to his disappointing qualifying, Hamilton will start the race from fourth and will try to pass Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz and George Russell. However, Hamilton remains confident of a good result. "Yes, of course, embarrassing, [I'm] disappointed in myself that I'd had it, but shit happens. We all make mistakes, and of course it's not what you would expect a world champion to do."