Lewis Hamilton insisted that it was his own mistake that caused him to crash out of the third session of qualifying for Sunday’s European Grand Prix in Baku.

The defending world champion quelled concerns over the track in the Azerbaijani capital on Friday, and refused to blame the set-up after his error gave him just 10th place on the grid, while Mercedes team-mate and title rival Nico Rosberg stormed to pole position.

Hamilton’s accident happened as he came out of a narrow complex of corners around Baku’s Old City walls, where he clipped a barrier at turn 11. The impact broke his front suspension.

« I don’t think Baku bit me, I think I tried to take too much and I tried to bite it — and it didn’t work, » he said.

« It’s me, it’s nothing to do with the track and nothing to do with the team. I just wasn’t driving well. »

Read more on : France24.com