Lewis chases lap of honour
BRIT CAN EQUAL POLE RECORD
AS if to mark the significance of this weekend, Lewis Hamilton has been joined here by his first and truest fan, father Anthony.
Hamilton Snr was patrolling the terrace at the top of the Mercedes motorhome yesterday evening, en route to a spot of dinner and sightseeing with his wife Linda.
But when he returns to the track today he could see the attraction he would enjoy most of all, because Lewis is chasing his 68th career pole, a statistic that would put him level with Michael Schumacher and ahead of everyone else in history.
Anthony has not been at a race for a number of years — by my reckoning since Abu Dhabi in 2014. But his presence at the Hungarian Grand Prix, whether intentional or not, is apt for such a landmark occasion, a symbol of the symbiotic father- son relationship that first launched the young Lewis.
if Hamilton, 32, is to pull off the record, he will have to produce a lap worthy of the accolade. for here, 15 miles from the Danube that separates Buda from Pest, the tight and twisting Hungaroring is no open road for the raw power of Hamilton’s Mercedes engine.
free practice supported the notion that the ferraris will be hot to trot around the 2.7-mile track, home of the 11th round of a 20-race season and the last before the summer break. The Red Bulls also pressed their noses into the reckoning, with Daniel Ricciardo fastest in both of yesterday’s sessions.
But so much for the evidence from practice. This remains one of Hamilton’s favourite tracks, where he has claimed pole five times and won as often. Schumacher’s name dominates formula One’s record books — most poles, most wins (91), most fastest laps (77), most championships (seven) — and to equal him in any aspect is to climb an Everest. Despite that, Hamilton has claimed he is putting the context of today’s lap out of his mind.
‘Honestly,’ said the Brit, perhaps trying to fool himself or us, ‘i’ve not thought about the record. i can’t tell you what it’s going to feel like. i’d rather wait until that moment. i’m sure it will be incredible.’
The sport’s owners, Liberty Media, have quietly hatched a plan to commemorate the milestone, should it be reached today, possibly with a gift from the Schumacher family being presented in front of the grandstands this afternoon. However, sensitivity over the great German’s condition, following his skiing accident in 2013, means that precisely how the occasion would be marked remains secret.
Niki Lauda, Mercedes’ non-executive chairman, paid tribute to Hamilton’s pole-clinching abilities, saying: ‘He is an unbelievable natural talent, a unique driver who also does everything he can to understand the technical details, who works hard on what to do with his tyres, etc — a sensational combination over one lap, or many laps.’
Speaking to Sportsmail, Lauda added: ‘We need the front row of the grid. You can’t win this race otherwise. it’s like Monte Carlo in that regard. And we need a one-two finish. Then i can go on holiday to ibiza half-relaxed. i am never more than half-relaxed.
‘i am always waiting for the ferrari wobble, but it never comes. When we develop, they develop. At Silverstone they had a problem with Sebastian Vettel’s tyres. The gap between him and Lewis went down to a point. Thank God. Thank God.’