Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), August 22: Double world champion Lewis Hamilton clinched pole position at the Belgian Grand Prix Saturday with a flawless lap to take top slot on the starting grid for the 10th time in 11 races.
The Mercedes driver will have his closest rival and team mate Nico Rosberg alongside on the front row. Rosberg is 21 points behind Hamilton with nine races remaining including Sunday’s.
The German had been quickest in Friday practise but Hamilton banged in the quickest laps when it mattered to seize pole with a time of one minute 47.197 seconds.
“The car’s been feeling great on the circuit… Nico was very close but my last two laps were the best I’ve had all weekend,” Hamilton said
It was the first time since Michael Schumacher’s domination with Ferrari in 2000-01 that a driver has chalked up six poles in a row.
Finland’s Valtteri Bottas qualified third for Williams and will be joined on the second row by Force India’s Mexican Sergio Perez due to a five-place grid penalty for Lotus’ Romain Grosjean ahead of him.
Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen failed to make it into the final phase of qualifying, after his engine died and the car ground to a halt on the track.
The Finn’s German teammate Sebastian Vettel, qualified ninth but will start eighth thanks to Grosjean’s demotion from fourth.
Australian Daniel Ricciardo, will start in fifth place with the Williams of Brazilian Felipe Massa in sixth.
Perez to start fourth
Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium): Sergio Perez secured a season-best fifth position for Force India while his teammate Nico Hulkenberg finished 11th in the qualifying session of Belgian Grand Prix here Saturday. Perz will however start fourth as Romain Grosjean who finished fourth for lotus will drop five grid places due to a gearbox change penalty.