Lewis Hamilton continues to put teammate Nico Rosberg under pressure. The Briton has won the 60th pole position of his career in qualifying Grand Prix of Brazil.
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) won Saturday’s 60th pole position of his career, and now the pressure on his teammate and rival Nico Rosberg who can be world champion if he wins Sunday the Brazilian GP Formula 1 (16:00 GMT) .
The triple British world champion, who dominated qualifying to-end but has never won at Interlagos, will start with 19 points behind Rosberg in the standings, with just two races before the end of the season.
Hamilton has just won one after the GP of Austin and Mexico. If he wins again Sunday at Interlagos, it will equate to nine wins over before the finale in Abu Dhabi.
For the 12th time this year, the two Mercedes drivers monopolized the first row before an unexpected Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari), alias “Iceman”, who found his car “very average” and the Red Bull of a young Dutch 19 years known for his aggressive driving, Max Verstappen.
With a time of 1 min 10 seconds and 736 thousandths in its last lap, Hamilton was ahead at the end of Q3 Rosberg tenth of a second (1: 10,838).
In the showdown that pits two rival teammates, Hamilton increased his lead over Rosberg with 11 pole positions against 8 for the German. Mercedes sign a record 19 pole record at this season-long 21 GP.
“I could not ask for better than that and I’m happy to be in the forefront, welcomed Hamilton. I felt confident and relaxed. Nico was growing fast, but I felt that I could keep him away. ”
“It’s very tight and Lewis was just a bit before, very few. But that’s fine,” replied Rosberg. He walks in familiar territory, and enjoyed on the Brazilian track where he has just won twice, in 2014 and 2015. In the title race between the two drivers of the Silver Arrows, Sunday’s race will be decisive.
Grosjean very fit
A victory of the German for the third consecutive year and ensure the title would surely plume on Ayrton Senna lands. It would also be a good way to avoid a final high risk, mechanical as well as psychological, November 27 in Abu Dhabi.
Behind the leading quartet, the quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) and Australian Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull) share the third row of the starting grid.
Vettel yet comeback. While Q1 was started, his Ferrari was still in the hands of mechanics in the pits. The German has appeared on the runway after five long minutes then signed the fifth fastest time of the 1st meeting.
The French Romain Grosjean (Haas), very fit, will start on the seventh place on the grid, alongside German Nico Hulkenberg (Force India). It equaling his best result of the season in “qualifying”. The Top 10 is completed by the other Force India, that of the Mexican Sergio Perez, McLaren and the Spanish double world champion Fernando Alonso.
As the sun and the heat of the day gave way to overcast skies and intermittent rain, both the Finn Bottas Williams and local hero Felipe Massa, could not participate in the third part of qualifying.
For his last GP on his land, the retired 35-year future was eliminated in Q2 and will start 13th. Despite the disappointment, he then went to the stands to greet the audience which floated many Brazilian flags.
The French Esteban Ocon (Manor) was penalized three places for shy Jolyon Palmer (Renault) on Saturday during qualifying and will start last on the grid, said the race director.
On the sidelines of the showdown, Red Bull will seek to ensure for good, facing Ferrari, instead of vice-world champion constructors. Behind the untouchables Silver Arrows. Meanwhile, 2017.
