Lightning Lewis
Hamilton hails ‘sweet spot’ in F1’s fastest lap in history
Lewis Hamilton deflected personal glory and heaped praise on his team after he clocked the fastest lap in Formula One history and Mercedes locked out the front row of the grid for the Italian Grand Prix.
In the first qualifying session since F1’s ruling body, the International Motoring Federation (FIA), banned the so-called ‘party modes’ that enable teams to increase engine power and speed, the Mercedes showed again they remain the pace-setters.
Hamilton secured his seventh pole in Italy, his 68th for the Mercedes team – equalling seven-time champion Michael Schumacher’s overall total – and the 94th of his career with his record lap in 1:18.887.
His average speed was 264.362kph, a pace that lifted him beyond the previous fastest man Kimi Raikkonen who lapped Monza in 1:19.119 at an average speed of 263.578kph in 2018.
The championship leader and sixtime champion said his final lap to beat teammate Valtteri Bottas to pole was the result of perfect planning and “bang on” strategy by his team who decided to send their drivers out early and avoid the pack as it jostled for slip-streaming positions.
“I think we learned from last year in terms of going out at the end wasn’t the best for us,” said Hamilton. “The strategy team did a really great job in terms of the timing.
“It’s something we discussed yesterday and again today (Saturday). Ultimately, I think it was bang on.”
McLaren driver Carlos Sainz – who moves to Ferrari next year – was third, 0.808 behind the British driver and just ahead of Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen.
Things went from terrible to abysmal for Ferrari. Charles Leclerc qualified 13th and has little chance of repeating last year when he won from pole position to end the team’s nine-year wait for victory at Monza.
Teammate Vettel finished 17th after being hampered by traffic on his final lap.
The strategy team did a really great job in terms of the timing. Ultimately, I think it was bang on.
Lewis Hamilton