Lewis Hamilton says ‘we need to apply pressure’ on Saudi Arabia over human rights
Lewis Hamilton claimed a crucial pole position for this evening’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix ahead of Max Verstappen as the F1 title race took another twist.
The Red Bull driver was poised to leapfrog his Mercedes rival before a stunning crash confirmed the seven-time word champion at the front of the grid in what promises to be a historic race in Jeddah.
Now the Briton, who admitted his pride at gaining an edge over his title rival in qualification, hopes to maintain his advantage and either close the Belgian-Dutch driver’s eight-point lead or eliminate it entirely should he also seize the bonus point for the fastest lap. It promises to be a race packed with thrills and spills as the Formula 1 season arrives at its penultimate race before the finale in Abu Dhabi. It is imperative that Hamilton wins here, with Verstappen able to move towards the brink of title glory with a win, as it would stretch his lead enough that only significant trouble could prevent him from winning even if the Mercedes star wins the final race in Abu Dhabi.
And after what was a rare mistake from Verstappen in a dramatic qualifying session, he admitted: “Of course it’s terrible. It was a good qualifying. I knew the pace was there, I don’t really understand what happened but I locked up, clipped the wall and had to stop. P3 is a bit disappointing but the car is quick and let’s see what we can do in the race.”
Follow live race updates from Jeddah, reaction and analysis as the F1 season rumbles on:
Lewis Hamilton clinches Saudi Arabian Grand Prix pole as Max Verstappen crashes out in Q3
Lewis Hamilton ended an eventful Saturday at the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with a pole position and a slap on the wrist as title rival Max Verstappen sensationally crashed out on the final corner of qualifying.
Verstappen leads the drivers’ championship by just eight points with two races remaining and Hamilton has the upper hand here at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
Having won the previous two rounds of a scintillating season, Hamilton came here with plenty of momentum, but he had to survive two penalty scares in final practice before sealing an important pole on a track where overtaking could be at a premium.
Jack Rathborn5 December 2021 12:17
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: Prediction
Mercedes have clearly shown over the last two races that they have the superior pace over Red Bull. Both the Brazil and Qatar Grands Prix showed that Verstappen is up against it if he is to hold off a late-season charge from Hamilton. And, with a thrilling final race in Abu Dhabi on the cards, the Brit could level things up or even nudge in front ahead of next weekend.
Jack Rathborn5 December 2021 12:03
