Suzuka: Championship leader Lewis Hamilton secured pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix, leading a 1-2 finish for Mercedes drivers here Saturday. However, teammate Valtteri Bottas will start seventh on the grid after being handed a five-place penalty for unscheduled gearbox change.
Hamilton posted a lap record time of 1 minute, 27.319 seconds to finish 0.332 ahead of Bottas. Hamilton’s title rival, Sebastian Vettel, was third but the Ferrari driver will move up to second after Bottas’s penalty.
Before Saturday’s qualifying, Hamilton had secured pole at every current F1 circuit except Suzuka. “It’s incredible for me, 10 years or whatever it is and my first pole at Suzuka,” Hamilton exclaimed.
With five races remaining, Hamilton leads Vettel by 34 points in the drivers’ championship. A win here would move him a step closer to a third F1 title in four years with Mercedes and his fourth overall.
Vettel was happy to be on the front row after starting the Malaysia GP from the back of the grid and working his way up to a fourth-place finish. “The car is quick and, as last weekend shows, if you start out of position you can still get back,” Vettel informed.
Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo was fourth fastest – and now starts third – just 0.026s clear of teammate Max Verstappen, who won last week’s Malaysia GP. Force India’s Esteban Ocon will start sixth after finishing seventh.
press trust of India