Hamilton left to chase, but 'it won't be like Silverstone'

Lewis Hamilton's botched qualifying session has left the Mercedes driver with a complicated task for Sunday's German Grand Prix.

A bumpy and damaging ride over Hockenheim's Turn 1 kerbs in Q1 led to a hydraulic failure that sidelined the reigning world champion's Mercedes for the remainder of the grid-defining session.

For the second race in succession, albeit for very different reasons, Hamilton will be forced to chase from behind.

But while Silverstone was well suited for a charge through the field that yielded a second-place finish, Hockenheim's very different layout likely won't offer Hamilton the same chance for a comeback drive.

• Vettel takes German GP pole, Hamilton set to start P14

"It definitely was a tough one but these things happen," Hamilton said after qualfying.

"All you can do is try and gather your thoughts and live to fight another day, another opportunity to rise, so I’ll give everything tomorrow to see how high I can get up but it’s not going to be like Silverstone.

"I’m sure I’ll be able to get through to some point, but to where I don’t know."

Hamilton denied the W09's hydraulic failure was the result of his riding the Turn 1 kerb at full speed, insisting the issue occurred before that point.

His efforts to push the car back to the pitlane - a long haul by the way - were quickly abandoned when he noticed an oil leak on the car.

"You use the kerb the same every lap. Just before the kerb I think the steering broke so I think that’s the issue.

"I saw there was leaking oil and I knew that I had to stop and let them put the car away somewhere. I have the will to not want to give up, I just want to keep pushing."

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