Hamilton nets 'home' pole
July 15, 2017
Lewis Hamilton was quickest in Saturday's qualifying for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, securing his 67th career pole position.
His sixth pole start of the Formula One season means that Hamilton is on the verge of equalling Michael Schumacher's record 68 ahead of a three-week lull in proceedings.
Hamilton has won the last three Grands Prix at Silverstone and is one behind the joint-best record alongside Alain Prost and Jim Clark, who won five in a row between 1962 and 1967.
Read more: Vettel and Hamilton make peace after crash
The three-time drivers champion produced a thrilling fastest lap of 1 minute 26.600 seconds in Saturday's qualifying, 0.547 seconds ahead of Kimi Raikkonen.
German driver and championship leader Sebastian Vettel took third, 0.756 seconds behind the 32-year-old Englishman.
"This is definitely the best position to start from," Hamilton told reporters. "I need to make sure I do it tomorrow for these fans."
But despite Valtteri Bottas winning the Austrian Grand Prix last week, the Mercedes driver will start further down the grid after a five-point penalty for a gear box change.
Read more: Bottas edges Vettel to win Austrian Grand Prix for Mercedes
The same penalty was incurred in qualifying by Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo, who has racked up five successive podium finishes.
Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen finished fifth and could fill the void as he looks for his second podium of the season.
Four-time champion Vettel leads the drivers' standings, 20 points clear of rival Hamilton and 35 ahead of Finland's Bottas.
rd/ft (AFP)