Mercedes changes led to "pretty terrible" qualifying - Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton bemoaned a "lack of grip" as he ended a "pretty terrible" day by qualifying only seventh on the grid for the Monaco Grand Prix.

Neither Mercedes looked quick all weekend until team-mate Valterri Bottas managed to find pace following a late set-up change to qualify third whilst Hamilton floundered his way around the tight and twisty streets of the Principality.

The championship leader brushed the wall at the exit of Mirabeau on his fastest lap before being out-qualified by the AlphaTauri of Pierre Gasly.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1, the seven-time F1 champion and current title-leader explained he could not extract anything more from the package.

"It didn't feel too bad on Thursday and then we made some changes and it was pretty terrible today," he said.

"Of course, we go back to the drawing board. From my side, I had just such a lack of grip out there which leads you to overdrive and start pushing to get more from it but to no end, it just doesn't improve.

"[It is a] Difficult one but obviously Valtteri managed to get something out of it but we definitely had some problems today."

Hamilton's championship rival Max Verstappen lines up second on the grid, although after Charles Leclerc suffered potential gearbox damage in his pole-clinching crash in Q3, the Red Bull has a chance of being promoted to top spot.

On his own chances to reel the top positions in, Hamilton conceded: "It's almost impossible to overtake. Where we are it is pretty much the case when everyone is at the same speed.

"Qualifying, Saturday is the day so that does put the win out of reach. I guess the minimum is hopefully seventh and then we will try and somehow move forwards."

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