Formula 1 Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes W11 on track during qualifying for the F1 Grand Prix of Spain at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on August 15, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Josep Lago/Pool via Getty Images)

Formula 1: Hamilton claims pole at Catalunya

Reigning world champion Lwis Hamilton took his fifth pole at the Barcelona track and the 92nd of his Formula 1 career in total.

Formula 1 Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes W11 on track during qualifying for the F1 Grand Prix of Spain at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on August 15, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Josep Lago/Pool via Getty Images)

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton claimed pole position for the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix ahead of teammate and title rival Valtteri Bottas by 0.059sec in a qualifying one-two on Saturday.

Reigning world champion Hamilton took his fifth pole at the Barcelona track and the 92nd of his career in total.

Hamilton has now claimed four of the six pole positions decided so far this season, a great improvement from 2019 where he took just five all season. Saturday’s performance saw Hamilton claim his fifth pole position in Barcelona. The Formula 1 world championship leader will also be aiming for his fifth career win at the circuit.

Formula 1

Verstappen slots behind Hamilton and Bottas

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who is second in the overall driver’s standings, 30 points behind six-time world champion Hamilton, qualified in third after finishing 0.708sec back.

The Red Bull driver is hopeful of improved performance from the car in Sunday’s Formula 1 Grand Prix.

“It’s the maximum we can do at the moment. I hope we can be a bit quicker in the race,” Verstappen said after qualifying. 

Sergio Perez returned to his drive at Racing Point after a two-race absence enforced by a positive coronavirus test and claimed fourth place on the grid. 

The so-called Pink Mercedes of Racing Point are free to use their controversial design elements and are still mulling appealing their 15 point Formula 1 constructor points deduction.

Racing Point’s Lance Stroll qualified in fifth ahead of Red Bull’s Alexander Albon in sixth.

McLaren teammates Carlos Sainz Jr. and Lando Norris qualified in seventh and eighth place, respectively, ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in ninth and AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly in 10th.

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel continues to endure a nightmare Formula 1 season being eliminated after the second round of qualifying along with Alpha Tauri’s Daniil Kvyat, Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo, Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Raikkonen and Esteban Ocon. 

Haas teammates Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean dropped out in the first qualifying session. Also missing out were Williams teammates George Russell and Nicholas Latifi and Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi. 

The Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will get underway at 15:10 on Sunday 16 August 2020.

Starting grid for the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Starting Lineup

1st – Lewis Hamilton

2nd – Valtteri Bottas

3rd – Max Verstappen

4th – Sergio Perez

5th – Lance Stroll

6th – Alexander Albon

7th – Carlos Sainz Jr.

8th – Lando Norris

9th – Charles Leclerc

10th – Pierre Gasly

11th – Sebastian Vettel

12th – Daniil Kvyat

13th – Daniel Ricciardo

14th – Kimi Raikkonen

15th – Esteban Ocon

16th – Kevin Magnussen

17th – Romain Grosjean

18th – George Russell

19th – Nicholas Latifi

20th – Antonio Giovinazzi

Starting grid for the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix