A sensational very first lap in Q3 from the six-time champion then saw him develop a brand-new performance history with a 1m 31.391 s effort, before the Briton narrowly improved it on his 2nd go to declare what was just his second pole position at the Sochi Autodrom– while Valtteri Bottas, who had actually led Q1 and looked fast all weekend, will have been extremely dissatisfied not to at least make the front row, at a track hes always shone on.
Hamilton had his Q2 time deleted for a track limits infringement leaving him in the drop zone when Vettel crashed at Turn 4 with just over 2 minutes left of the session, drawing out the red flags.
When the session was restarted, Hamilton crossed the line with less than two seconds to spare to begin his flying run– his last possibility to enter into Q3. He then published the fourth quickest time to make it to the lead shoot out.
Mercedes Lewis Hamilton claimed his 96th pole position by a substantial 0.563 s from Max Verstappen for the Russian Grand Prix, in spite of coming within a matter of seconds of being knocked out of Q2 in a remarkable qualifying session at Sochi that saw Sebastian Vettel crash heavily to draw out the warnings.
Behind the leading three, an exceptional effort from Sergio Perez in an update-less Racing Point RP20 saw him declare 4th on the grid, ahead of the Red Bull of Daniel Ricciardo in 5th– the highest the Australian will ever have actually started in Sochi– with Perezs group mate Lance Stroll not able to show what he could do after a mechanical problem saw him leave in Q2.
1
Lewis
Hamilton
HAM
Mercedes
1:31.304
2
Max
Verstappen
VER
Red Bull Racing
1:31.867
3
Valtteri
Bottas
BOT
Mercedes
1:31.956
4
Sergio
Perez
PER
Racing Point
1:32.317
5
Daniel
Ricciardo
RIC
Renault
1:32.364
Carlos Sainz was the leading McLaren in P6, 1,246 s off Hamiltons pace, ahead of the 2nd Renault and 2nd McLaren of Esteban Ocon and Lando Norris, with the AlphaTauri of Pierre Gasly P9. Alex Albon, meanwhile, will have been dissatisfied to be starting the race 10th, the Thai chauffeur 1.704 s off the speed for Red Bull.
One cloud on Hamiltons horizon will be the reality that hell begin Sundays race on soft tyres, with a big crash for Ferraris Sebastian Vettel in Q2– from which the German emerged safe, however having actually dropped out of the section, along with group mate Charles Leclerc– forcing Hamilton to use the softest rubber to set his time, having had his very first effort in the section erased. Bottas and Verstappen, on the other hand, will begin the race on the mediums, providing a tactical advantage.
Certifying Highlights: 2020 Russian Grand Prix
Q1– Bottas on top as Russell stars for Williams and Raikkonen draws out of contention
With the track appearing to increase considerably, home hero Daniil Kvyat put in a super second effort to end up P3, 0.855 s off Bottas leading time, with Esteban Ocon fourth and Max Verstappen rounding out the top 5.
There were deletions too for Pierre Gasly, Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen, implying those three chauffeurs needed strong last efforts to make it through to Q2. Eventually just Gasly would do so, winding up P8 as Grosjean and Magnussen eventually ended up 16th and 18th.
A positive Valtteri Bottas was directly into the 1m 32s on his first flying lap of the session, as he stopped the clocks with a 1m 32.656 s. Hamilton ended the sector 0.327 s adrift in P2, having actually had to do a steady second effort after getting his first lap erased, after bumping over the Turn 2 kerbs on his first flying lap.
Russell put in a piece de resistance to make his 6th Q2 look this season
George Russell put in another starring performance for Williams to wind up P13 and ahead of the two Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel, both just making it through to Q2– while Russell was over a 2nd clear of his team mate Nicholas Latifi. Kimi Raikkonen was last, on the other hand, the Finn spinning harmlessly at Turn 2 on his final run.
Knocked out: Grosjean, Giovinazzi, Magnussen, Latifi, Raikkonen
2020 Russian GP Qualifying: Raikkonen draws out of Q1
Q2– Ricciardo quickest, as Hamilton nearly caught out after Vettel crash draws out warnings
Hamilton made a similar mistake at Turn 18 however went even broader than his group mate, with another of his laps getting deleted– and an essential one on the mediums tyres– as Renaults Daniel Ricciardo wound up P1 after the first runs, ahead of Sainz and Perez.
The motorists headed into Q2 reporting drops of rain falling on the Sochi Autodrom. They were light drops, however, and certainly insufficient to call the intermediate tyres into action. The mediums, though, were summoned up by Verstappen, Hamilton and Bottas– Verstappen only handling to go seventh after the very first runs, while an error for Bottas at Turn 18 left him simply 4th.
Ricciardo topped Q2
There were tense minutes on the Mercedes pit wall, as the now soft-shod Hamilton then slid off the track on his out-lap of the reboot at Turn 2, crossing the line with simply 1.25 s to spare. He d eventually have the speed to go P4– but crucially will have to start on those soft tyres on Sunday, with Bottas and Verstappen on the more favoured mediums, Verstappen terminating his final operate on the softs and leaving Ricciardo top.
Sebastian Vettel was down in P14 and pushing tough to enhance and attempt on his second run when he clonked the kerb at Turn 4, the rear of his SF1000 floating into a spin that saw him link with the wall– Charles Leclerc following behind simply directly preventing his team mate. The warning was called, suggesting that Hamilton, with no time on the board, was under the cosh to get a lap in with 2m 15s off the session staying.
A disappointed Leclerc left with his group mate in Q2, while Lance Stroll was not able to attempt a last run, after a mechanical gremlin struck the Canadian as he was queueing in the pit lane, leaving him P13– Kvyat and Russell likewise failing to match their Q1 heroics and dropping out.
Knocked out: Leclerc, Kvyat, Stroll, Russell, Vettel
2020 Russian GP Qualifying: Vettels Ferrari in pieces after substantial crash
Q3– Stupendous Hamilton effort offers him 96th pole as Verstappen beats Bottas to 2nd
If Hamilton had actually been rattled by his Q2 problems, he didnt show it in Q3, his very first lap a sensational 1m 31.391 s, and a full 0.793 s ahead of his team mate in P2, with Verstappen taking P3, directly ahead of Daniel Ricciardo, who was looking well linked around Sochi in the Renault.
He looked scrappy on both of his Q3 runs, while a quite brilliant last sector from Verstappen on his last effort saw the Dutchman demote Bottas to P3 at the chequered flag, something that will be difficult for the Finn to swallow offered Mercedes speed advantage this weekend.
Hamilton had a brand-new track record to his name, and Bottas a mountain to climb up if he was to topple his team mate for the very first time since the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix. Eventually though, as Hamilton improved to yet another performance history, a 1m 31.304 s, Bottas had no answer.
Bottas could not seem to get a lap together in Q3
So, its Hamilton who when again declares the upper hand in the Mercedes camp on Saturday. Will the upper hand still be there on Sunday, with the downside of having to run on the soft tires– and with Bottas behind looking to slipstream him down to Turn 1, and Verstappen with strategies to spoil Mercedes parade?
Credit to Verstappen, who bagged both P2 and the more useful method of the 2 front row starters. Credit likewise to Sergio Perez, who regardless of having had to miss out on the RP20s significant upgrade after Strolls Mugello crash put the group on the back foot, claimed a wonderful fourth on the grid, beating Ricciardo by simply 0.047 s.
In stark contrast to Verstappen, though, Albon could only declare P10, the Thai chauffeur brought back down to Earth with a bump after the high of his Mugello podium.
It was a comfortable pole for Hamilton
The key quote
Whats next?
The drivers headed into Q2 reporting drops of rain falling on the Sochi Autodrom. The mediums, however, were summoned up by Verstappen, Hamilton and Bottas– Verstappen just managing to go seventh after the very first runs, while an error for Bottas at Turn 18 left him simply 4th.
” The session was one of the worst certifying sessions! Its nice being on pole however here is probably the worst play to be on pole with the draggier automobiles this year.
” Both of the automobiles Im racing against, theyre both on the medium tomorrow so thats certainly going to make it tough to win the race. Nevertheless, Im going to stay favorable and try to figure out how I can browse through, get a good start, whatever it might be, and well see.”– Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
The Russian Grand Prix gets under way at 1410 local time on Sunday 27 September– thats 1110 UTC. Will we witness Hamilton taking a record-equalling 91st win in Sochi? Or can one of Mercedes rivals undo the Silver Arrows broken run at this track? Tune in to our protection to learn.
— Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
Will we witness Hamilton taking a record-equalling 91st win in Sochi? Or can one of Mercedes competitors reverse the Silver Arrows broken run at this track?
