Lewis Hamilton late on Saturday scotched his fans’ lingering hopes that strategy might explain his lacklustre showing in qualifying for his home race at Silverstone.
The local favourite will start the sell-out British grand prix from just fourth, after lagging his McLaren teammate Heikki Kovalainen’s Q3 pace by a huge eight tenths.
Time deficits in final qualifying are often influenced by differing fuel loads for the opening stint of Sunday’s race.
But Hamilton told reporters that his strategy is “not significantly different” to pole-sitter Kovalainen’s.
“I have no clue why the car’s not perfect,” the 23-year-old, who has not scored a point in two races, said in the paddock.
“I haven’t changed it, really, since testing. I don’t know where the time is.”
Hamilton went into the gravel on his first Q3 effort, and – after being told on the radio to “not overdrive” – admits he maybe took it a bit too easy into the Priory corner thereafter.
