Silverstone: Lewis Hamilton’s world champion accused the Max Verstappen rival in the British Grand Prix qualifier on Friday to take the top position on the Grid for the first first sprint race.
Hamilton recorded 1 minute 26,134sec in Mercedes to beat Red Bull’s Verstappen, championship leader, with Valtteri Bottas in the second fastest Mercedes.
The crowd of around 90,000 was ready to watch the first Friday night qualifying session at F1.
The Prime Sprint qualifying competition on Saturday, the first of these three seasons, will be more than 100 km and will decide the starting position for the main event on Sunday.
“We have lost this for a full year,” Hamilton said, handling fans.
The seven-time world champion had arrived at his home race, Trailing Verstappen with 32 points in the title competition.
Verstappen, which only 0.075 seconds from speed in qualification, has won the last three races.
“Red Bull is very fast in the training session but we are still very focused on our work and trying to coat,” Hamilton added.
“I was on SIM this morning using it as a training session because this was the first time we had a free morning, just put time and to give everything.
Leave the stone missed.” The first lap was great.
, The second looks better but just lost the back end in that last corner, so my heart was in my mouth when I crossed the line.
“But I can see the crowd and it really reminded my first pole in 2007.” Hamilton can celebrate the eighth victory in this weekend’s homeland and 99 career.
Ferrari Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez completed the top five.
“We only need to see ourselves.
The car handles quite well, but many are increasing – so I can’t attack the corners but a little strange feeling to have it,” explained Verstappen.
“I don’t think it organizes or relates to the front wing, still close enough so it will be fine.” You do qualifications and flat and not too mean and you don’t get a pole – it’s a strange feeling.
“George Russell, in a Williams, also had a night to remember, finishing the eighthest eighth with fellow Briton Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo, in McLarens, in front of him.” It was our best qualification session, and to do in front of the house’s crowd was an extraordinary feeling, “said Russell, widely seen as a teammate of the future of Hamilton in Mercedes.” I feel confident and comfortable out there that allow me to get one or two teams.
In the end, we did a fantastic job to get there and around tomorrow.
“It won’t be easy, but we have to be aggressive and up to the front foot.” Carlos Sainz in the second Ferrari and four-time winner Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin completed the top 10.
The format of the Sprint race will be repeated on the Italian Grand Prix in September and on the other one, but for certain races this year.
Saturday sprint will offer championship points with three for winners, two for both and one forga.
This will last 25-30 minutes and run more than 100 km, which in Silverstone means 17 rounds.
It was proportional to 52 rounds and only more than 306km for the race itself on Sunday.