LEWIS HAMILTON HAS secured pole position for tomorrow’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
The British pipped Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas to pole in qualifying on Saturday.
The reigning world champion claimed the 90th pole of his career, edging standings leader Bottas by 0.107 seconds, while the Racing Points of Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez locked out the second row for Sunday’s race.
The Mercedes cars are in a league of their own this season, with Racing Point – designed on last year’s world championship-winning machine – the best of the rest.
But Hamilton was almost a full second ahead of third-placed Stroll with Mercedes on course to claim a staggering seventh consecutive drivers’ and team championships.
Hamilton enjoys a remarkable record at the twisty Hungaroring venue, and will go in search of his eighth win there on Sunday.
Advertisement
This was his seventh pole at the venue, matching Michael Schumacher’s record at the same venue. An eighth win on Sunday will also equal Schumacher’s record for the number of triumphs at the same track – the German having won on eight occasions at France’s Magny-Cours.
“I have to pinch myself,” said Hamilton. “It doesn’t register. It is quite humbling because I work with an incredible group of people.
“Valtteri doesn’t make it easy for me so it requires absolute perfection when it comes to doing the laps and qualifying is one of the things I enjoy the most.
“The lap was nicely hooked up today. Nothing is a given here. I have got to deliver on the start tomorrow.”
Earlier in the day, Hamilton trailed Bottas in final practice – finishing just 0.042 seconds behind the Finnish driver.
Racing Point continued their impressive form this season, with Sergio Perez third, 0.161 seconds off Bottas’ best lap.
Charles Leclerc finished fourth for Ferrari ahead of Lance Stroll in the other Racing Point car.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen ended the session in sixth, 0.647 secs slower than Bottas.
Hamilton beat Bottas to top spot in yesterday’s dry running at the Hungaroring – but it was Bottas, who holds a six-point lead in the standings, with the advantage on Saturday morning.
The Mercedes package is again the one to beat, but Ferrari will be encouraged with their showing after a poor start to the new campaign. Leclerc finished a third-of-a-second down on Bottas.
However, team-mate Sebastian Vettel was only eighth, almost one second off the pace.
Elsewhere, Lando Norris – the McLaren driver who is third in the standings – finished seventh, four tenths and four places ahead of team-mate Carlos Sainz. British driver George Russell was an encouraging 14th for Williams.
The action took place in dry conditions, but rain could yet disrupt qualifying here later on Saturday.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
4 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Lewis Hamilton takes pole position for Hungarian Grand Prix
LAST UPDATE | 18 Jul 2020
LEWIS HAMILTON HAS secured pole position for tomorrow’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
The British pipped Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas to pole in qualifying on Saturday.
The reigning world champion claimed the 90th pole of his career, edging standings leader Bottas by 0.107 seconds, while the Racing Points of Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez locked out the second row for Sunday’s race.
The Mercedes cars are in a league of their own this season, with Racing Point – designed on last year’s world championship-winning machine – the best of the rest.
But Hamilton was almost a full second ahead of third-placed Stroll with Mercedes on course to claim a staggering seventh consecutive drivers’ and team championships.
Hamilton enjoys a remarkable record at the twisty Hungaroring venue, and will go in search of his eighth win there on Sunday.
This was his seventh pole at the venue, matching Michael Schumacher’s record at the same venue. An eighth win on Sunday will also equal Schumacher’s record for the number of triumphs at the same track – the German having won on eight occasions at France’s Magny-Cours.
“I have to pinch myself,” said Hamilton. “It doesn’t register. It is quite humbling because I work with an incredible group of people.
“Valtteri doesn’t make it easy for me so it requires absolute perfection when it comes to doing the laps and qualifying is one of the things I enjoy the most.
“The lap was nicely hooked up today. Nothing is a given here. I have got to deliver on the start tomorrow.”
Earlier in the day, Hamilton trailed Bottas in final practice – finishing just 0.042 seconds behind the Finnish driver.
Racing Point continued their impressive form this season, with Sergio Perez third, 0.161 seconds off Bottas’ best lap.
Charles Leclerc finished fourth for Ferrari ahead of Lance Stroll in the other Racing Point car.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen ended the session in sixth, 0.647 secs slower than Bottas.
Hamilton beat Bottas to top spot in yesterday’s dry running at the Hungaroring – but it was Bottas, who holds a six-point lead in the standings, with the advantage on Saturday morning.
The Mercedes package is again the one to beat, but Ferrari will be encouraged with their showing after a poor start to the new campaign. Leclerc finished a third-of-a-second down on Bottas.
However, team-mate Sebastian Vettel was only eighth, almost one second off the pace.
Elsewhere, Lando Norris – the McLaren driver who is third in the standings – finished seventh, four tenths and four places ahead of team-mate Carlos Sainz. British driver George Russell was an encouraging 14th for Williams.
The action took place in dry conditions, but rain could yet disrupt qualifying here later on Saturday.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Hungarian Grand Prix Lewis Hamilton Mercedes top spot Valtteri Bottas