OHURUOGU HANGS UP SPIKES
MERCEDES’ SPIELBERG DRAMA
LEWIS HAMILTON may be the main man but it was Valtteri Bottas who produced the box-office performance in Spielberg yesterday.
The world champion will start from second on the grid after Mercedes team-mate Bottas beat him to pole position with a “stunning lap”.
Hamilton made a mistake on his first run in the shootout for pole, and then had no answer to Bottas in his final attempt, finishing just 0.019sec behind the Finn.
Sebastian Vettel, who trails Hamilton by 14 points in the championship, qualified third, but was hit by a three-place grid penalty for blocking Renault’s Carlos Sainz and will start from sixth.
Kimi Raikkonen finished fourth, but is now promoted to third, ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
Mercedes, boosted by a number of updates this weekend, have not lost since the venue returned to the F1 calendar in the town of Spielberg four years ago.
And although it looked as though Hamilton would secure the 50th pole of his FORMER Olympic and world 400 metres champion Christine Ohuruogu has announced her retirement.
The 34-year-old, who secured Olympic gold at Beijing 2008 and silver in London four years later, and won world titles in 2007 and 2013, had indicated last year that this season would be her last on the track.
And she confirmed yesterday morning that she Mercedes career, it was Bottas who delivered one of his finest qualifying displays to see off the four-time world champion.
Hamilton ran wide at turn three on his penultimate flying lap which handed the advantage to Bottas.
Hamilton said: “It was not too bad. Valtteri did a stunning lap and I made a mistake. I am happy with the second lap, though, and this is a great result for the team.”
Bottas, who has yet to win this season, said: “The car felt so good. In the last run I knew there was a 10th or so to was hanging up her spikes, saying: “Today is the start of the British Championships and, as I won’t be there competing, I feel it is a good time to formally announce my retirement from competitive athletics.”
Ohuruogu, who is halfway through a law degree at university, continued: “I didn’t feel ready to retire after last season but a combination of my studies and a niggling improve and I managed to find it. I need a good clean start and there is no need to be a hero in turn one.
“I guarantee I am more hungry for the win than anyone else on the grid.”
Romain Grosjean was bumped up a spot after an impressive sixth place for Haas, ahead of Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo. injury restricted how much training I was able to do.”
The London-born Newham and Essex Beagles club member, who took up athletics in 2001 in a bid to boost her netball skills, looks back fondly at her career.
“Athletics has been my passion for so long and I am proud to call myself an athlete,” she said. “I love the diversity of the events and the brilliant characters.
“I have met some wonderful people competing around the world, and I am blessed to call many of them friends.”
Dina Asher-smith set a British Championship record for the women’s 100m in winning gold in 10.97 seconds at the Alexander Stadium, Birmingham.
Reece Prescod edged out Zharnel Hughes and CJ Ujah to retain his 100m mens title in 10.06. CHRIS WOOD produced one of the comebacks of the season at the HNA Open de France, but will have to overcome formidable opposition to win his first Rolex Series event today.
The Englishman started and finished two shots behind Marcus Kinhult after a remarkable run around the turn for a 67 to get to eight under.
A double-bogey and bogey sent him down the leaderboard, but he picked up eight shots in 10 holes. A bogey on 18 took some gloss off, with Wood a shot ahead of Sergio Garcia (below).
“A lot of players might let that get to them, three over through five, but I felt like I was hitting pretty good shots,” Wood said.