Jenson Button was left to rue another McLaren error that already has him on the back foot for Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix.
Scraping into the top-10 shoot-out by just eight thousandths of a second at least represented an improvement in qualifying on his previous two performances after failing to get out of Q2.
Button, however, was left with no supersoft tyres - the softest and fastest Pirelli rubber available this weekend - on which to fight in the session.
Instead, McLaren opted to send him out on a set of softs, with the hope that after a few laps it would produce a quick time.
It was a gamble that backfired, leaving Button down in 10th on what is now a used set of tyres, not only behind a top nine all on supersofts, but ahead of those all able to start on new softs.
The frustration was evident in Button's voice and demeanour as he attempted to analyse where it had again all gone wrong.
"We wanted to start the race on the prime (soft) tyre, but looking at it now we shouldn't have actually bothered running it," said Button.
"It was always going to be tricky beating anyone on the prime, and we shouldn't have put five laps on it.
"But you want to get in the car and go out and see what you can do. That's exactly what we did. With hindsight it was a mistake.
"So I'm not entirely happy. We're starting a long way back, but it's actually better than the last two races.
"I guess looking at the last few races this was perhaps to be expected - another tough day, and it's not getting any easier."
Unlike last year when a torrential downpour helped produce the longest race in F1 history at just over four hours, and in turn an astonishing Button victory, on this occasion baking sunshine is forecast.
Temperatures are due to soar to 29 degrees centigrade, and considering there is invariably a safety car event at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, there is slim hope on the horizon for Button.
"It's not the best way to start tomorrow, but it's probably going to be the hottest race we've had this year," added Button.
"Hopefully it will throw up a few surprises and we can still have a good afternoon.
"Obviously you go into every weekend feeling positive, but so far this one hasn't been that good.
"That seems to be a habit of mine at the moment, although we've still one more day left, so who knows."
