Valtteri Bottas pips Lewis Hamilton to pole position in qualifying for 70th Anniversary Formula 1 Grand Prix at Silverstone

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Valtteri Bottas snatched pole position away from Lewis Hamilton at the death of qualifying for the 70th Anniversary Formula 1 Grand Prix at Silverstone on Saturday.

The Brit appeared on course to take his 92nd career pole but Bottas pipped him, finishing 0.063 seconds ahead of his Mercedes team-mate.


Bottas was just faster than Hamilton

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Nico Hulkenberg took an impressive third in his role as Sergio Perez’s replacement at Racing Point.

Perez remains sidelined with coronavirus and Hulkenberg was the only driver within one second of the all-conquering Mercedes team.

Max Verstappen took fourth ahead of Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo, with Lance Stroll sixth for Racing Point.

Sebastian Vettel’s poor form left him in a disappointing 12th.


Hamilton will start alongside his teammate on the front row

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Hamilton stole an early march on Bottas but a poor first sector on his final run handed the initiative to his team-mate, with the Finn claiming his first pole since the opening round in Austria.

Bottas, who signed a one-year Mercedes contract extension earlier this week, said: “When you are starting from pole you can only aim to win the race.

“The pace is there so the job is to get a good start off the line and go from there.”

Hamilton added: “It wasn’t that great but Valtteri did a good job and deserved pole. For me it wasn’t a perfect last lap.”

Hulkenberg qualified 13th last week but failed to start the race following a car failure. He said: “It has been a crazy seven or eight days.

“Last week, we had the high of the comeback and then the low of not starting on Sunday.

“I felt more prepared this week. I am surprised to stand here but there is a big smile on my face.”


Hulkenberg has had a dramatic week

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The F1 season returns to Silverstone for the second successive week in a season operating amid coronavirus restrictions.

Last Sunday, Hamilton won the British Grand Prix in remarkable circumstances as he crossed the line with a puncture.

He scraped to the chequered flag in a dramatic finish, just seconds before a pursuing Max Verstappen could overtake him.

Bottas had suffered the same issue on the penultimate lap, which means he is now 30 points behind Hamilton in the Championship standings.


Source: TalkSport.com Motorsport