Lewis draws level with Schumacher

Budapest, July 18: Lewis Hamilton broke the circuit lap record and drew level with Michael Schumacher for another feat on Saturday as he claimed a record-increasing 90th pole position for Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

The six-time world champion clocked a stunning time of one minute and

13.447 seconds on his second run in final qualifying to finish just ahead of team-mate Valtteri Bottas as Mercedes reeled off their 65th front-row lockout.

It was Hamilton’s second successive pole of the

Covid-19 delayed season and a Schumacherequalling seventh pole at the Hungaroring, where he seeks his eighth victory to draw level with another Schumacher achievement for wins on the same track.

Schumacher won eight times at the French Grand Prix.

“I have to pinch myself. It doesn’t register. It’s quite humbling because I work with an incredible bunch of people who do an amazing job here and back home. And Valtteri doesn't make it easy for me. It takes perfection to do laps like that so this is one of the things I enjoy most,”said Hamilton.

Bottas said he expected it to be close. “We seem to be on another level, pretty far ahead of the others. My laps were ok, but I couldn’t go faster really,” Bottas said

Behind the two ‘black arrows’, the controversial ‘pink Mercedes’ of Racing Point were third and fourth with Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez ahead of a much-improved showing by four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc for Ferrari. “I am very happy at the moment. Was strong all the way through qualifying, the whole weekend, really,” said Stroll. —