Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says Lewis Hamilton's target in the Grand Prix of Europe is to at least reach the podium from 10th on the grid.
Hamilton endured a difficult qualifying session, making numerous mistakes and eventually breaking his front right suspension as a result of clipping the wall at Turn 11 in Q3. While championship leader Nico Rosberg will start from pole position, Wolff has named Hamilton's target of recovering to the podium.
"Nico starts the race from the best position possible and all is not lost for Lewis. There's lots of opportunity out there if you survive the first lap and this should be one of the easier circuits for making up ground thanks to the long straight. I think we have a pretty exciting race in store - and we'll be racing to get both boys to the podium."
Hamilton flat spotted his front left tyre in Q2 but has been allowed to change it for a different used tyre ahead of the race. Wolff says Saturday was simply an off day for his driver which is accentuated on a street circuit.
"If we are having a bad day, whatever you write or whatever I say is probably not very good, but it hasn't got the dramatic effect of when he drives a racing car on a street circuit. That was I guess just one of the bad days, he didn't get into the rhythm and if you're not in your rhythm around the street circuit like this you are making mistakes.
"He was blindingly fast in the first sector, in a league of his own, but just couldn't put the sectors together."
REPORT: Rosberg secures Baku pole as Hamilton crashes out
AS IT HAPPENED: Grand Prix of Europe - Qualifying
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Chris Medland’s 2016 Grand Prix of Europe preview
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