HAMILTON EXPECTING SNORE NOT ROAR AT IMOLA
FORMULA ONE Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
LEWIS HAMILTON fears a “boring” Emilia Romagna
Grand Prix after he was pipped by Mercedes team-mate
Valtteri Bottas for pole position.
The Finn was 0.097 seconds quicker than Hamilton with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen third.
Returning to the Imola track that has not hosted a race since the 2006 San Marino Grand Prix, Hamilton was quickest in the single practice session yesterday morning and was again on top after the first runs in final qualifying.
But a messy lap by Hamilton on the final runs gave Bottas a chance and he grabbed it.
And with Hamilton admitting overtaking is limited, he said: “Valtteri did a great job and it was a poor lap from myself. These things happen. You can’t get it right all the time.
“I am pretty certain we’re going to see a boring race. You can overtake into turn one but it is pretty narrow and you can’t overtake on the rest.”
Hamilton, 35, leads Bottas by 77 points, having won eight times so far this season.
The Brit, who celebrated a record 92nd win at the previous race in Portugal, is closing on a record-equalling seventh drivers’ title although he will have to wait at least until Turkey in two weeks’ time for a chance to seal it.
Bottas said: “It’s going to be a good fight. It’s one of the longest runs in the calendar into turn one so no doubt Lewis and Max will be chasing me, but it’s a good place to start and hopefully pace is good.”