3
Lewis Hamilton has conceded that his fastest lap in qualifying was simply not good enough to beat teammate Valtteri Bottas to pole position.
Hamilton lost out by just six-thousandths of a second, while Bottas stormed to his fourth pole position of the season, following his three in a row from China, Azerbaijan and Spain earlier this year.
MORE: Bottas: I must learn from inevitable mistakes
Both Mercedes drivers set their fastest times on the first time around, as the grip wasn't there for the final laps. Hamilton made a mistake at the end of sector one on his quickest time, which he feels cost him the shot at pole.
"Firstly congratulations to Valtteri, he did a solid job all through qualifying," Hamilton said. "Ultimately it wasn't good enough. We worked really hard throughout the session and it just got away from is.
"We sacrificed a lap in Q2 which would have helped us get an understanding of how the car was. But we didn't end up doing that. At the end, I had that mistake on the first lap and the second lap just wasn't that great.
"But fair play to Valtteri, who did the job. But it's a long race tomorrow."
Hamilton also offered his gratitude to the fans around the circuit, who made noise for him as he was being interviewed post session.
"It's the best Grand Prix of the year. It's incredible, the energy that these people bring. These tracks have great layouts, designs, good area and space but without the people, there's no energy."
Grand Prix of BelgiumLocal time
Grand Prix of BelgiumLocal time
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
M. Verstappen
C. Sainz jr
C. Leclerc
Bahrain
United Arab Emirates
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
Australia
Albert Park
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
Monaco
Monte Carlo
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
Austria
Red Bull Ring
United Kingdom
Silverstone
Hungary
Hungaroring
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Italy
Monza
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
Brazil
Interlagos
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
470,528 comments on Mercedes
66 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Lewis Hamilton
613,589 comments on Mercedes 57 members have this team as their favourite Tweets about Mercedes
Replies (3)
Login to replyf1fan0101
Posts: 1,804
hopefully bottas 2.0 is back
Biggs7
Posts: 38
I don't think so Hamilton will be pumped up by the fans and eventually take the win from Bottas.
xoya
Posts: 583
It will all be done in the 1st corner. Hamilton takes the win.
Leclerc to take 2nd and it will be Bottas/Vettel for 3rd. Unless Ferrari uses team orders to put Vettel in front of Leclerc.
Ofc, this is all not accounting for a possible mechanical issue.