05/08/2021 11:32
Clarín.com
sports
Updated 05/08/2021 11:49
Briton Lewis Hamilton added a new historical record by taking 100th pole position in his prolific Formula 1 career. The Briton set the best time during qualifying tests for the Spanish Grand Prix that took place this Saturday in the Barcelona circuit.
Aboard his Mercedes, the seven-time champion covered the 4,655 meters of the Catalan track in 1: 16,741 and beat the Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) by just 36 thousandths, who he had also left in second place last week at the Gran Prize of Portugal, and thus he signed his second pole of the year (the first had been in Emilia-Romagna) and the 100th in his career, a number never reached by another pilot.
“I can't believe we're at 100 poles.
The men and women of the factory are continually raising the bar, ”Hamilton celebrated shortly after getting out of his vehicle and receiving the greetings of the Mercedes team members in the pits.
Lewis Hamilton shows off the tire with which he was recognized after taking his 100th pole position.
(Photo: Gabriel Bouys / EFE / EPA)
“I made some changes for qualifying, we are always trying to improve the car, but it is a bit risky to think about the preparation for the race as well.
It was my decision in the end, but that's why I was behind in qualifying.
I was making small adjustments, the first lap was not the best, but just wow! ”Added the multi-champion.
For Verstappen, who is second in the championship just eight points behind Hamilton, second place in the standings opens up a good outlook for Sunday.
“We are working very hard to beat them here, so I can be happy with that.
I need to ensure a good start tomorrow.
The pace is there, so we should also have a good race ”, analyzed the Dutchman.
Max Verstappen greets Lewis Hamilton after qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix.
(Photo: Lluis Gené / AFP)
Behind the leaders of the competition was the Finn Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes), who predicted for Sunday a very even competition between him, his teammate and Verstappen.
In the second starting row he will be accompanied by the Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari).
The French Esteban Ocon (Alpine), the Spanish Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), the Australian Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren), the Mexican Sergio Pérez (Red Bull), the British Lando Norris (McLaren) and the Spanish Fernando Alonso (Alpine).
Fernando Alonso achieved the 10th record in qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix.
(Photo: Alejandro García / EFE)
Further back were the Canadian Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), the French Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), the German Sebastián Vettel (Aston Martin), the Italian Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo), the British George Russell (Williams), the Japanese Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri), Finn Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo), German Mick Schumacher (Haas), Canadian Nicholas Latifi (Williams) and Russian Nikita Mazepin (Haas).
The Spanish Grand Prix, which will cover 66 laps of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, will start on Sunday at 10.
The qualifying results for the Spanish Grand Prix.
