Mercedes is looking for a #2 driver after Bottas signs with Alfa Romeo, but Bottas delivered for Mercedes on Friday.
MONZA, Italy—With a new contract in hand and a future with the Alfa Romeo-Sauber team next season, Valtteri Bottas evaded tension and the threat from his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton to record a 1:19:555 fastest lap to take pole Friday afternoon for Saturday’s sprint race in preparation for the Italian Grand Prix at the Monza Autodromo. Series leader Max Verstappen placed his Red Bull in third.
Valtteri Bottas: That qualifying lap was nice, and it feels good when you get a nice lap in. It was good fun, and I feel relaxed now everything is sorted for the future. I’m expecting to get maximum points tomorrow and then do the best job I can on Sunday.
Hamilton was glad for Bottas, and he was also happy that he was one position higher than Verstappen. “Every point counts. Congratulations to Valtteri (Bottas). He did a mega lap,” said Hamilton. The defending Formula 1 champion also praised the home crowd. “The Italian fans are so beautiful. Good to see them and good to be back here.”
Triumphant Bottas (photo, Motorsport)
For Red Bull. Verstappen knew going in that things would be challenging. “For us, this track is always going to be difficult. We struggled a bit in free practice but recovered quite well, so we’re happy to be third, and I hope for the race we can be a bit closer.”
Hamilton was in control during the morning practice and the first two qualifying sessions, but Bottas and Verstappen weren’t far behind. But Verstappen then began losing his pace as Bottas found it when the track began to open up following bunching up in the pit lane and on parts of the circuit.
Bottas was one of the first cars out of the pits with less than two minutes remaining, and he was even able to tow Hamilton to the final straight. Still, though, it was the Finn who found a quicker time than his teammate.
For others, McLaren had a fine qualifying session, placing Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo in fourth and fifth place, respectively. Alpha Tauri’s Pierre Gasly was sixth, while Ferrari’s home crew finished seventh and eighth with Carlos Sainz Jr. and Charles Leclerc. Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi rounded out the top ten.
Things weren’t rosy for other drivers. Five drivers were eliminated during the opening session, including Haas drivers Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher, Alfa Romeo’s Robert Kubica (in for Kimi Raikkonen), Williams Nicholas Latifi, and Alpha Tauri’s Yuki Tsunoda, who exceeded track limits on his last qualifying lap. Both Alpines of Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon, Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll, and Williams driver George Russell, exited the second.
Free practice two is scheduled for Saturday morning at 6a U.S. Eastern time, followed by Sprint Qualifying at 10:30a. Both programs will be televised by ESPN2.
