In Budapest, the amazing Lewis Hamilton takes another pole and Bottas will start second as Mercedes continues to dominate.
BUDAPEST, Hungary—July 18th—Lewis Hamilton braved threatening rain to take the 90th pole of his career. He did it elegantly, too, breaking the track record not one but three times, finally recording a 1:13:447 fastest time. Hamilton finished ahead of teammate Valtteri Bottas. Surprising Lance Stroll was third in his Racing Point.
About his performance, Hamilton remarked: “I have to pinch myself. It just doesn’t register.”
Sergio Perez was the only challenger in the opening session, but no challengers emerged in the second session with a 1:14:261 best time that automatically gave him the second session. But Hamilton wasn’t finished. He recorded the fastest time twice more, ending up with a comfortable margin to easily take the pole.
The opening round saw multiple eliminations, including the two Alfa Romeos of Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi, Williams with Nicholas Latifi, and the two American Haas drivers Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean, and Dani Kvyat of Alpha Tauri. The same fate in the second round awaited George Russell of Williams, the two Renaults of Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon, and Red Bull’s Alex Albon.
Overall, Perez ended up finishing fourth, while the Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc were next in fifth and sixth, respectively.
Once again, Hamilton said that he wouldn’t be where he is currently without his team. “It’s quite humbling because I get to work with an incredible group of people without whom I wouldn’t have the opportunity to do so.”
