HAMILTON RULES THE HUNGARIAN ROOST
Lewis Hamilton hopes yesterday’s crushing qualifying defeat of Sebastian Vettel proves he is No. 1 in this season’s championship battle.
The Mercedes driver will line up on pole position for today’s Hungarian Grand Prix after completing yet another chapter in his book of wet-weather masterclasses.
Hamilton took his fifth pole of the year to see off team-mate Valtteri Bottas and Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen.
Vettel, cast 17 points adrift of Hamilton after crashing out from the lead in Germany last weekend, will line up only fourth.
The evidence pointed towards Vettel taking pole, but he had no answer to Hamilton in the wet conditions as he finished an eye-watering half-asecond adrift of his title rival.
Does Hamilton’s impressive display prove he is a better driver than Vettel?
“I know the answer to that question, but it is for the public to judge,” the Briton replied. “All I can do is be the best I can be every time I go on the track.
“The results will speak for themselves. I put all my energy into that. In such tricky conditions, and with so much pressure, the more days I have like this will hopefully change the mentality of fans who think one way, and shift them to the other. My social media following goes up by 100,000 every week so I am doing something right.”
Meanwhile, the British-based Force India team have been placed into administration after a London court hearing.
Force India will continue to take part in Hungary but it is understood that Mexican driver Sergio Perez is owed more than £3million in sponsorship deals, while engine supplier Mercedes are also owed £11.5m.