On the eve of free practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the Baku City Circuit, Lewis Hamilton spoke to the media in the Scuderia Ferrari HP hospitality. “I’m curious to find out what it’s like to drive a Ferrari here for the first time,” he said. “This car is very different to any of the others I’ve driven so far in my career, and it will be interesting to see what feeling I get from it right from the first session.”

Feelings and goals. Reflecting on his objectives for the weekend, Hamilton added: “It would be great to fight for the podium. I feel we’ve made progress with the car over the past few races, and I’m fairly optimistic about Baku. We are constantly improving, and the more time I spend with the team the closer I get to achieving the feeling I want from the car.”

Tricky track. Hamilton also shared his view on Turn 8, the corner in the old city where the circuit narrows to less than seven metres, leaving room for just one car. “It’s definitely tricky because it’s so narrow and there’s no margin for error. But in fact, it’s not that different from Monaco or other street circuits. The key will be to get into a rhythm right from tomorrow’s first free practice.”