Hamilton draws level with hero
Briton presented with Senna’s race helmet after he matches Brazilian’s career pole tally in Montreal, writes Philip Duncan
LEWIS Hamilton blew away championship rival Sebastian Vettel with a phenomenal lap to secure pole position for today’s Canadian Grand Prix.
Hamilton’s stunning time, the fastest seen at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, also moved the triple world champion level on 65 career pole positions with his childhood hero Ayrton Senna.
The Mercedes driver finished more than three-tenths of a second clear of his Ferrari rival, whom he trails by 25 points in the championship race, with Valtteri Bottas to line up in third.
Canada has proven to be a happy hunting ground for Hamilton in the past and so it proved again yesterday following a thrilling qualifying session.
It was there 10 years ago where Hamilton secured his first Grand Prix victory and he will now be oddson to record his sixth victory in Montreal after a blistering lap.
Hamilton laid down the gauntlet with a super-quick opener in the final phase of qualifying before Vettel bit back to move to within just four-thousandths of the Briton’s time.
But the 32-year-old responded in meteoric fashion to stamp his mark on pole and join Senna in second on the all-time list. Only Michael Schumacher has more poles than Hamilton in the sport’s long history.
An emotional Hamilton was given a helmet worn by Senna at the 1987 British Grand Prix. Provided by the Brazilian’s family, he held it aloft in front of the thousands of fans at turn two.
“I am shaking here,” Hamilton said. “I am speechless. “I know for many of you Ayrton was your favourite driver and it was the same for me. He was the one that inspired me to be where I am today. To match him and receive this is the greatest honour so a big, big thank you to the Senna family and everyone here. This is the most special thing I have, above and beyond my trophies.
“To be at 65 poles, I honestly, I could not be happier.”
Senna secured his 65th and final pole at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. A day later he was killed after he crashed when leading the race.
Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso is back behind the wheel of his McLaren this weekend following his exploits at the Indianapolis 500 a fortnight ago.
However, it was back to down earth here for the Spaniard as he could only haul his Hondapowered McLaren to only 12th on the grid.
Alonso and team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne, 16th in the order, have been the slowest in a straight line for much of the weekend and it is unsure how much longer McLaren will be prepared to stick it out with their beleaguered engine supplier.
There have also been some rumblings in the paddock that British driver Jolyon Palmer may be replaced by Renault before the end of the campaign.
The 26-year-old, who is in his second season in the sport, has failed to score a single point this year. After progressing to Q2 – thanks in part to Pascal Wehrlein’s spin in the closing moments of the opening phase – he qualified in 15th place.
His team-mate Nico Hulkenberg, who in contrast has 14 points this term, will be 10th on the grid.
Lance Stroll, the first Canadian driver to appear on home soil since Jacques Villeneuve more than a decade ago, will start 17th after falling at the first hurdle of qualifying, while Williams teammate Felipe Massa, mate lines up seventh.