Lewis Hamilton expressed frustration with Ferrari's approach to Q3 after qualifying sixth for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, saying "they changed the plan".

Hamilton questioned why the team completed only one run of multiple laps at the end of the final knockout stage rather than go out earlier for initial laps, as Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull with Max Verstappen had done.

The seven-time world champion said his final laps were compromised by having no 'tow' from a car in front to aid straight-line speed down Baku's long main straight. Team-mate Charles Leclerc did have a tow, from Hamilton, by dint of the fact it was the Monegasque's turn to go out second in final qualifying.

Leclerc qualified second behind dominant Mercedes polesitter George Russell, who topped qualifying by a season-high margin of eight tenths of a second. Reflecting on his own session, Hamilton told Sky Sports F1: "It was a pretty bad qualifying once again. It's not for the lack of trying."