Hamilton: I'll apologize to Leclerc [for not handing position back]

The seven-time Formula 1 world champion finished eighth having started from 12 and Leclerc ninth from tenth in the race in Baku.

After Leclerc had let Hamilton go past on fresher tyres to try and catch cars ahead, Ferrari asked them to swap back on the final lap but the positions ultimately remained the same.

Hamilton, who started 12th, said he got the message late on when he was still focused on trying to catch McLaren's Lando Norris.

"Basically I did lift on the straight, and did actually brake, but he (Leclerc) missed it by like four tenths," he explained.

"That was just a misjudgment by myself. I'll apologize to Charles," the Briton added.

Team boss Fred Vasseur said Hamilton appeared to have misjudged the position of the start/finish line and Leclerc indicated he was not too fussed.

"Honestly, for a P8 or a P9 it's not going to be a big talking point. I don't really mind," said the Monegasque. "These are things that we agree between us and the general rules of how we want to work whenever there's a swap.

"It didn't happen and that's OK. It's not like I would have been a lot happier being P8," Leclerc admitted.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin)