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It's been a while: Valtteri Botta
Updated On: 02 May, 2021 08:23 AM IST | Portimao (Portugal) | AFP
Mercedes driver relieved to return to pole position after seven months; world champion Hamilton qualifies second
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Mercedes’ world champion Lewis Hamilton (right) congratulates teammate Valtteri Bottas, who qualified in pole position for Sunday’s Portugal GP, at the Algarve International Circuit on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images
Valtteri Bottas took pole position for the Portuguese Grand Prix with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton completing a Mercedes front-row lockout in qualifying on Saturday. Hamilton`s pursuit of a 100th pole at the track where last year he notched up his record 92nd win was delayed when Bottas earned the 17th of his career. "It`s a good feeling to be on pole," said Bottas after a final qualifying session lap of 1min 18.348sec. He added: "Feels like it`s been a while. It`s been a weak point for me in the first two races. The team have been working hard all weekend and we have a good position for tomorrow." Bottas` performance was well-timed after he had qualified third in the season-opener in Bahrain but then a lowly eighth at Emilia-Romagna. His time was just 0.007sec faster than Hamilton. Red Bull`s Max Verstappen, one point off Hamilton in the drivers` standings, took third on Sunday`s grid with his teammate Sergio Perez alongside him on the second row in Portimao.
Verstappen had in fact bettered Bottas` time but had his 1min 18.209sec run scrubbed out after exceeding track limits. Ferrari`s Carlos Sainz came in fifth ahead of the Alpine of Esteban Ocon, Lando Norris, in a McLaren, and Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari. Hamilton paid tribute to Bottas "and our team for us both to be on the front row". "It was not expected. We have to be happy for that, it was not the perfect lap but I gave it everything. "You can never be satisfied, we exist to keep moving forward but I`m happy with what we`re doing and the steps we`re taking." Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff admitted his world champion team is making steady qualifying improvements. "I`m not sure we had the fastest car but we have improved a lot," he said. "We are catching up (Red Bull) in qualifying, we are maybe at the same level, and I think we have a good car for racing."
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