The McLaren driver, the winner of the last grand prix in China, was one of the favourites to at least secure a spot on the front row of the Istanbul grid.However, he had no answer to the pace of the Red Bulls while Nico Rosberg also put his resurgent Mercedes GP ahead of the McLaren driver.
"It's not pole position but it's better than nothing," Hamilton told the BBC.
"We're starting on the dirty side, but we're in the fight.
"We're not far away but now you see the Mercedes have picked up their pace and also the Ferraris have.
"I'm looking forward to a strong race. It's a long one here but there are chances to overtake and it should be good."
The one thing, though, that Hamilton doesn't have which aided his climb to the top step of the podium in China is an extra set of the softer option tyres.
And that, he admits, could cost him this Sunday.
"We don't have an extra set, we went out, whether that was right or not I don't know."
Source: Planet-F1
