Hamilton: Things went from bad to worse after Perez incident

Coming off the back of two victories in the previous three rounds, Hamilton was expected to put in a strong showing in Qualifying and line up on the front few rows of the grid.

However, unpredictable track conditions and intermittent gusts of wind made it difficult for many drivers to find a rhythm around Circuit Zandvoort. For the first time in ten races, the seven-time World Champion failed to make it into the top ten positions and will start from P12 on Sunday.

Hamilton looked uncomfortable behind the wheel of his W15, losing the rear of his car multiple times on his best lap. His teammate George Russell was also sliding around in his Mercedes, but cleared up his act in the latter stages to ultimately end Saturday in fourth place.

An incident between Hamilton and Red Bull's Sergio Perez was investigated by race stewards during Qualifying. Perez was on a fast lap while Hamilton was preparing for one, and the former was impeded by the latter going through Turn 9. The Red Bull driver aired his frustrations, calling the Mercedes man an "idiot" and gesturing towards him.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the session, Hamilton admitted that his episode with Perez may have affected his driving.

The 39-year-old reflected on a disappointing Qualifying, and will have a lot of work to do to make up positions on the narrow Dutch track. He said: "It was a pretty shocking session. These things happen and it's done now but it doesn't feel good."

On his coming together with Perez: "It all went badly from the moment with Perez happened. I did my best to get out of the way, I was far to the left as possible, but timing was bad.

"It was a domino effect, it went from bad to worse," claimed Hamilton.

On the other hand, Russell believes that his P4 result was a solid reflection of his and Mercedes' standing this weekend. He stated: "I am pretty happy. I think it's a fair result, but it swung so much during the session.

"I went out and had no grip, was really struggling, and then I was the same pace as the McLarens before it went away from me in Q3," added the Briton.

Alluding to the tricky weather conditions, Russell continued: "The balance of the car is totally dictated by the conditions. A shift in wind direction can transform the balance. You have to be so adaptable."

The Dutch Grand Prix will commence at 14:00 BST (15:00 local time) on Sunday 25 August.