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Formula 1
Lewis Hamilton secured pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday in a superior way. In the Spa-Francorchamps qualifying, the Mercedes driver set a new course record at 1: 41.252 minutes and will start the race from the best starting position on Sunday (3.10pm, live on ORF1) for the fifth time this season.
On his 93rd career pole position, Hamilton dropped teammate Valtteri Bottas by 0.511 seconds and is the clear favorite in the seventh race of the season. Red Bull driver Max Verstappen landed just behind the Finn (+0.015). Daniel Ricciardo finished fourth at the Renault.
Qualifying for Ferrari did not go as planned. Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel avoided a disaster and at least made it into Q2, but there they were clearly behind. La Monegasse only finished 13th, Vettel was placed directly behind. Overall, Ferrari’s fastest time was two seconds behind Hamilton’s record.
“It got better and better”
The Brit, who is 39 points ahead of Verstappen in the World Cup, is on his way to his fifth win of the season. “The trajectory in Spa is something incredible. Every lap was better and better. We are very fast in the middle sector. Today is an important pole for me, ”said the six-time world champion after the lap of his dreams.
Bottas would have had a hard time keeping up with his teammate even in top form, but he was still baffled by the huge gap of more than half a second. “I felt good so I don’t know where the delay behind Lewis is coming from. But the position on the grid is good for the race. I have a good chance of passing on the first lap. The race doesn’t end until it’s over, ”said the Finn optimistically.
But even Verstappen has yet to rule out the chances of his second win of the season. “All in all, the weekend has been positive so far. We are back, but the return was good. I am optimistic for Sunday. We will see how the weather will be. When it rains, it can be fun ”, the Dutchman hopes the track will be wet on race day.
