Lewis Hamilton becomes first F1 driver to earn 100 pole positions

7-time globe winner Lewis Hamilton became the very first Components 1 driver to get a hundred pole positions immediately after lapping fastest for Mercedes in Spanish Grand Prix qualifying on Saturday.

The 36-year-aged was by now way forward of the relaxation in the document books, with retired Ferrari terrific and fellow 7-times winner Michael Schumacher second on the all-time list of polesitters with sixty eight.

The Briton whooped with delight more than the crew radio as his engineer informed him the information.

“I experience incredibly humble, incredibly grateful. I am ecstatic, like it is my very first,” stated Hamilton immediately after the session at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya.

Crimson Bull’s Max Verstappen joined the championship-leading Briton, who has an eight-level guide immediately after three races, on the front row with a time .036 seconds slower and a different wheel-to-wheel duel looming on Sunday.

Valtteri Bottas capable third for Mercedes, a week immediately after the Finn took pole in Portugal.

Hamilton’s pole ongoing a outstanding operate of Mercedes domination, with the champions taking the prime slot in every single race at the Spanish circuit since now-retired Nico Rosberg began the sequence in 2013.

“I can’t imagine we’re at a hundred and seriously it is down to the men and ladies back again at the manufacturing facility who are consistently elevating the bar and just hardly ever offering up,” stated Hamilton, who will be chasing a document-extending 98th career gain on Sunday.

“The assist that I have, it is been a desire for me to perform with these fellas, and the journey that we’ve been on has been huge.”

Only 5 constructors in the 71-year heritage of the sport have racked up a hundred poles or far more, and Hamilton’s milestone puts him significantly forward even of Crimson Bull, who as a crew have so significantly managed sixty four.

SHOULDER Pain

Hamilton, who took his very first pole with McLaren in 2007, experienced established the fastest time of 1 moment sixteen.741 seconds with his very first traveling lap of the remaining stage and was not able to increase on it with his second.

It experienced looked like he experienced been slowed by Mexican Sergio Perez spinning his Crimson Bull forward but there were no yellow warning flags.

Perez informed reporters later on that he experienced been having difficulties with suffering in his remaining shoulder that became worse as the session, delayed ten minutes for marshals to resolve limitations, wore on.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc capable fourth with Esteban Ocon fifth on the grid for Alpine forward of Ferrari’s Spaniard Carlos Sainz.

Australian Daniel Ricciardo will line up seventh for McLaren, 1 area forward of Perez, with McLaren’s Lando Norris qualifying ninth and Spaniard Fernando Alonso tenth for Alpine.

Norris experienced been fastest in the very first stage of qualifying, with Verstappen on prime in the second section with a gorgeous one:sixteen.922 lap.

Hamilton meanwhile made modest adjustments to obtain far more speed and getting the “lazy” car to turn as he required ahead of the remaining shootout.

“It is really quite gusty close to listed here so the wind adjustments a ton,” stated Verstappen. “But nevertheless I consider second for us listed here on this keep track of was incredibly superior right now. We know they are tough to beat close to listed here but to be that shut, I can be satisfied.”

No driver has won from pole so significantly this period but the Barcelona circuit rewards grid posture far more than most, with the winner coming from pole 22 times in 30 races to day.

Hamilton has won there 5 times, which includes the last 4, and is chasing his third gain of a period that has develop into a struggle between him and Verstappen, who is also celebrating his personal century of starts off for Crimson Bull.

The 23-year-aged triumphed on his crew debut in Barcelona in 2016, turning out to be at eighteen the youngest at any time race winner.

Even further down the grid, Williams’ George Russell made it by to the second stage to get 15th on the grid.