F1: Vettel on Pole for German GP, Hamilton Suffers Hydraulic Failure
Lewis Hamilton will start the German Grand Prix from 14th on the grid while title rival Sebastian Vet tel took a stunning pole position for Ferrari.
Hamilton’s Mercedes suffered hydraulic failure in the first part of the session, grinding to a halt on track.
Vettel set pole from Hamilton’s team-mate Valtteri Bottas by 0.204 seconds and is now in position to extend his eight-point lead in the championship. But Bottas’ second place gives him a chance to challenge Ferrari.
The Finn edged out Vettel’s team-mate Kimi Raikkonen by 0.131secs and has the inside line on the run to the first corner for Sunday’s race.
Bottas said: “The start is going to be crucial. Race pace-wise, it is going to be close.”
Hamilton is con signed to another fight back, but he did not sound optimistic of achieving what he did at Silverstone two weeks ago, when he was punted into a spin by Raikkonen on the first lap but fought back to challenge Vettel for victory in the closing stages.
“It definitely was a tough one. These things happen and all you can do is try to gather your thoughts and put whatever energy you have towards trying to do your best next day. Live to fight another day, another opportunity to rise,” Hamilton told BBC Radio 5 live.
“I’ll give everything to see how high I can get up but it’s not going to be like Silverstone. I am sure I will be able to get through to some point, but to where I don’t know.”
Hamilton’s problem emerged shortly after he had run wide at the high-speed Turn One. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said the problem was“definitely not caused by Lewis’ driving”. He said that Hamilton suffered a hydraulic leak as he was going over the kerbs at Turn One. This caused a powersteering failure, which caused the car to bounce over the rough ground as he rejoined the track.
He was unable to change gears and was ordered to stop out on the circuit because the problem risked damaging the engine.
It is the latest in a series of blows for Hamilton and Mercedes, after a double retirement in Austria, where they also made a strategic error, and his incident with Raikkonen at his home race.
Vettel, who grew up in Heppenheim, less than 30 miles from the track, soaked up the cheers of his home crowd and said he had always felt from his first run in first qualifying that he could take pole.
“Thanks to the fans. It was amazing to see so many Ferrari and German flags,” he said. “It just kept getting better and I knew for the last lap I had a little bit more in more. I’m full of adrenaline but so happy.”