Lewis Hamilton admits he has to “pinch” himself at the thought of scoring his 90th Formula 1 pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The Mercedes driver has always been a specialist around the Hungaroring and proved it yet again with three new lap records in one session as his team were in a class of their own.
Indeed, after claiming P1 by 1.2s just seven days ago in the wet in Spielberg, only teammate Valtteri Bottas and Racing Point’s Lance Stroll were within a second of Hamilton on Saturday.
“I have to pinch myself, it just doesn’t register,” he admits when being told of the 90 poles milestone.
“Valtteri doesn’t make it easy for me at all, so it requires absolute perfection doing laps, and qualifying like that is something I enjoy the most.”
Also Read:
- Hamilton: ‘Refined’ W11 the best F1 car Mercedes has made
- Prost: 2020 & 2021 F1 titles ‘easy’ for Hamilton but after that…
Onboard the W11 as Hamilton completed his final lap, it seemed as though the Mercedes was just perfect in the way it handled the twisty Hungaroring track.
“She’s definitely not on rails,” the Briton insists. “I’m sure it looks like that maybe, compared to some other people, but it was really nicely hooked up today, and not far off the rails.”
So far in 2020, the car on pole has gone on to win on Sunday, but on his chances for what would be a record-equalling eighth victory in Budapest, Hamilton was coy.
“It’s a long run down to Turn 1,” he said. “Nothing’s a given here, so we’ve just got to do the work this evening, and ultimately I’ve got to deliver at the start tomorrow. It is quite a long race.
“We don’t know what this weather is going to do for us tomorrow, but I’ll have my head down and will be focusing as hard as I can to bring a one-two home for the team.”