Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton celebrates after finishing in pole position in qualifying for Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix. Photo: Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters
MANAMA – Lewis Hamilton claimed pole position at this weekend's Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix on Saturday after posting a new track record lap.
The newly-crowned world champion finished ahead of Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas and Red Bull's Max Verstappen with a blistering time of one minute, 27.264 seconds at the Bahrain International Circuit.
The pole was Briton Hamilton's 10th of 15 races run so far this season, and a record-extending 98th of his career.
Verstappen's Red Bull team-mate Alex Albon finished fourth, just over a second back, in a qualifying session that saw the likes of Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel fail to make the top 10 places.
AFP