08/29/2020 - 11:22
- Clarín.com
- sports
Briton Lewis Hamilton set the best time in qualifying tests for the Belgian Grand Prix this Saturday and on Sunday he will start the seventh round of the Formula 1 season from the top of the grid.
The six-time world champion, winner of four of the six competitions of the year and leader of the championship, had had a good start to the day, as he had the best time in the last free practice session aboard his Mercedes .
A while later, he also marked his superiority at the time of qualifying: he nailed a record of 1: 41.252 in his best lap at the Spa-Francorchamps track, with which he broke the circuit record and beat his teammate by 511 thousandths of a team, the Finn Valtteri Bottas.
At the end of the session, Hamilton dedicated his pole via his car radio to actor Chadwick Boseman, who died on Friday at 43 as a result of colon cancer. Earlier, he had fired his friend through his Twitter account.
I woke up today to the sad news, our super hero passed away. I'm so grateful I got to meet you brother. Thank you for all you have done for us. Rest in Power, you were the best of us and will never be forgotten. Love, light and prayers I send to you and your family pic.twitter.com/9sKD3jZP3G
- Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) August 29, 2020“Today I woke up to the sad news of Chadwick's death. He was such a bright light ... That news really shook me and it wasn't easy to refocus, but I knew I had to get out and drive perfectly. I did not make any mistakes in all my laps, ”said the Englishman after taking 93rd pole of his career.
Behind Hamilton and Bottas was the Dutchman Max Verstappen, the only man who this year managed to break the hegemony of the Mercedes (with his Red Bull he won the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone three weeks ago).
Lewis Hamilton talks to Max Verstappen after qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix. (Photo: Francois Lenoir / AP)
Then the Australian Daniel Ricciardo (Renault), the Thai Alexander Albon (Red Bull), the French Esteban Ocon (Renault), the Spanish Carlos Sainz (McLaren), the Mexican Sergio Pérez (Racing Point), the Canadian Lance Stroll ( Racing Point), the British Lando Norris (McLaren), the Russian Daniil Kvyat (AlphaTauri) and the French Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri).
It was only in 13th place in the classification that the Monegasque Charles Leclerc, with his Ferrari, managed to finish, who last year won this Belgian Grand Prix. Behind him ended his teammate, German Sebastian Vettel, on another disappointing day for the iconic Italian team, which is going through a season to be forgotten.
“It doesn't feel good and it's sad to see Ferrari so far behind. As always, our job as drivers is to do our best and that is exactly what I am trying to do and what Sebastian (Vettel) is trying to do in the car, "Leclerc had said on Friday. They did not achieve much this Saturday.
The Ferrari of Monegasque Charles Leclerc finished a long way from the leading positions in qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix. (Photo: Stephanie Lecocq / AFP)
Further behind were the British George Russell (Williams), the Finn Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo), the French Romain Grosjean (Haas), the Italian Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo), the Canadian Nicholas Latifi (Williams) and the Danish Kevin Magnussen (Haas).
The Belgian Grand Prix, which will cover 44 laps of the 7,004-meter circuit, will start on Sunday at 10.10 and will be broadcast on ESPN.