9
SIX-TIMES Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton lived up to his rain-master reputation with an astonishing lap to put his Mercedes on pole position for the first Styrian Grand Prix at Austria’s Red Bull Ring.
In a session that started 46 minutes late after a washed-out final practice, Hamilton was 1.216 seconds quicker than
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen for the 89th pole of his career.
Mclaren’s Carlos Sainz qualified third, a career best for the Spaniard, with Hamilton’s team-mate Valtteri Bottas -- winner of the season-opener from pole at the same circuit last weekend -- fourth fastest.
The Finn was 1.4 seconds slower than Hamilton, who will be seeking his 85th grand prix win today.
“What a tricky day,” said the champion after a performance hailed by team boss Toto Wolff.
“The weather was incredibly difficult out there for all of us. A lot of the time you couldn’t even see where you were going.
“I had a big aquaplane at one point -- I definitely had my heart in my mouth – but I was able to improve and put in a nice, clean lap. I love these days.”
The battle was between Hamilton and Verstappen, with the Dutch 22-year-old going fastest two minutes from the end but then losing control and sliding wide.
Hamilton, who can move a step closer to Michael Schumacher’s all-time record 91 wins, made sure pole was his with an extraordinary final effort of one minute 19.273 seconds.
“Very rarely do you see performances that are just not from this world,” said Wolff. “He was balancing the car on the edge, aquaplaning, throttle control was incredible. “And I can’t remember that we have seen 1.2 seconds between first and second.
Verstappen, a two-times winner of his team’s home Austrian Grand Prix but the first retirement of the season last weekend, said visibility had been appalling.
Today promises better conditions, however.
Frenchman Esteban Ocon qualified fifth for Renault, with Alex Albon sixth for Red Bull and Pierre Gasly seventh for Red Bull-owned Alphatauri.
Australian Daniel Ricciardo, suffering a sore knee after a crash in Friday practice, will line up eighth for Renault and Mclaren’s Lando Norris ninth after a three place grid penalty incurred in Friday practice.
Four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel was the fastest of the struggling Ferraris, but last in the top 10 shootout, with team-mate Charles Leclerc only 11th.