F1: Hamilton Makes History As He Claims Pole In Hungary

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Brandon Dawe
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Lewis Hamilton in the pitlane after setting the Hungaroring's new lap record during qualifying. Image sourced from @MercedesAMGF1 via Twitter.

Hamilton Ahead Of Bottas As Mercedes Dominate Hungarian GP Qualifying.

The Hungaroring Maestro

Lewis Hamilton took his 90th career pole position, leading a Mercedes 1-2 in qualifying.

In the process Hamilton set new lap record, drawing him level with Schumacher for the most poles at track with seven a piece.

Behind Hamilton was Mercedes’ team-mate Valtteri Bottas.

The current championship leader just one tenth of a second adrift of Hamilton’s record breaking lap.

Hamilton: “I have to pinch myself. It’s quite humbling and I have a lot of people to thank. Valtteri never makes it easy.”

Bottas: “We both are at a very strong level.”

“It will be a drag race between us into Turn 1, I can’t wait for that.”

The “Pink P̶a̶n̶t̶h̶e̶r̶s̶ Mercedes”

Despite a week of headlines racing through the paddock about their car’s legitimacy and contract negotiations.

Racing Point’s Lance Stroll & Sergio Perez finished in third and fourth respectively.

Lance Stroll will start tomorrow’s grand prix in third after a fantastic qualifying in Hungary. Image sourced from @RacingPointF1 via Twitter.

With the team shaving a monsterus 3+ seconds off their 2019 qualifying time.

Stroll: “I’m very happy. The car was really strong throughout today and the whole weekend so far.”

“It feels great when you manage to put it all together at the end of qualifying.”

Perez: “It was a great result for the team. We looked good all the way through.”

“Hopefully tomorrow we can put it together in the race and score a lot of points for the team.”

An Italian Homecoming

Ferrari made a surprising return to the top six in Hungary as Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc secured the third row for the Scuderia.

The Maranello based squad will be looking to make up for lost points after a shocking opening two races in Austria. Image sourced from @ScuderiaFerrari via Twitter.

Leclerc: “I believe our race pace is stronger than our quali pace so with a good strategy we can take advantage of that and gain some positions.

“There’s everything to play for tomorrow.”

Red Bull Gives You Wi…

Max Verstappen and Red Bull were touted to be Mercedes’ closest challengers coming into the weekend.

Unfortunately for the team, this was not the case.

Verstappen had complaints about the balance and engine of the car throughout qualifying. Issues which had plagued both cars all through practice.

Last year’s pole-sitter Max Verstappen struggled to get to grips with his RB16 throughout the weekend. Image sourced from @RedBullRacing via Twitter.

The Dutchman’s best lap only good enough for seventh place on tomorrow’s grid.

The other Red Bull of Alex Albon also struggled with his RB16, the Thai only whos qualifying ended in Q2 could only manage thirteenth.

Behind last year’s pole sitter Verstappen was Lando Norris in the McLaren in eight.

Norris just marginally ahead of team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr. in ninth.

AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly a suffered power unit issue throughout qualifying.

Pierre Gasly persevered through his PU issue to round out the top ten for AlphaTauri. Image sourced from @PierreGASLY via Twitter.

However, this didn’t phase the Frenchman as he went on to round out the top ten for the Italian team.

Renault showed good pace in the opening stages of qualifying but as the session wore on their pace diminished.

Daniel Ricciardo ended up eleventh in his RS20 with team-mate Esteban Ocon finishing the session in fourteenth position.

“Guess Who’s Back, Back Again”

George Russell and Nicholas Latifi who have both been confirmed to be staying at Williams for 2021 qualified in twelfth & fifteenth place accordingly.

With Williams getting both cars out of Q1 for the first time since Monza 2018 as a result.

Discontented Customers

As Ferrari had a small resurgence, the same can not be said for both their customer teams of Haas and Alfa Romeo.

As they both individually failed to advance from Q1.

Kevin Magnussen’s Haas will start sixteenth behind AlphaTauri’s Daniil Kvyat in seventeenth and team-mate Romain Grosjean in eighteenth.

With the Alfa Romeo duo locking out the final row as Antonio Giovinazzi qualified nineteenth.

Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi in the garage after edging out his team-mate at the Hungaroring. Image sourced from @AlfaRomeoRacing via Twitter.

Ousting veteran team-mate Kimi Raikkonen who qualified last on pure pace for the first time in his career.

 

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