Qualifying: Hamilton edges Bottas to pole position

  • Published on 15 Aug 2020 16:10
  • comments 5
  • By: Coilin Higgins

It is the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton that will start tomorrow's Spanish Grand Prix in pole position, ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen.

Williams' Nicholas Latifi set the first time in Q1, with a time of 1.19:231 as he complained of the circuit being slippery

Verstappen initially went quickest of the frontrunners, as both Mercedes of Bottas pushed the Dutchman down to third. The two Racing Point cars of Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll looked quick, as they went second and third to go ahead of Verstappen in the standings.

Alfa Romeo's Antionio Giovinazzi went wide at the final corner as he tried to get out of the bottom five, while Daniil Kvyat and Kevin Magnussen were put under investigation for an incident at turn 2.

Kimi Raikkonen got into Q2 for the first time this season, as both Haas and Williams were out at the end of Q1.

Hamilton and Bottas traded times in the opening minutes of Q2, with Hamilton setting a time of 1:16.013 to go quickest in the opening of the session.

Perez was on a flyer before a slip of traction coming through turn ten, leaving him fifth, while Carlos Sainz's time was good enough for fourth on the first run.

Perez and Stroll will start fourth and fifth, as Alexander Albon and Sainz qualified in sixth and seventh.

Sebastian Vettel once again missed out on Q3, getting knocked out by Pierre Gasly by just two milliseconds, as Raikkonen managed to qualify fourteenth and ahead of the Renault of Esteban Ocon.

The two Racing Point cars were first out on track to start Q3 with Perez ahead of Stroll, as Hamilton took provisional pole from teammate Bottas by a tenth of a second.

Charles Leclerc reported strange behaviour from his power unit leaving the pits for his final run in Q3. Bottas just missed out on pole, giving the front spot to Hamilton.

Eighth and ninth went to Lando Norris and Leclerc, while Gasly qualified in tenth.

Replies (5)

Login to reply
  • f1ski

    Posts: 726

    No party mode benefit. Ferrari no difference to speak of q2q3. Mb 0.5 sec faster .25 for rbr and the rest. Perhaps that’s the Ferrari penalty no party mode and fewer race modes.

    • + 0
    • Aug 15 2020 - 20:54
  • I don't really expect an amazing race based on this. Hoping for hot race though.

    • + 0
    • Aug 15 2020 - 21:02
    • Snooky

      Posts: 121

      I think we can, Merc cars are notorious for suffering when following other cars so They set up too heavily for quali to make sure they are out in front in clean air. It’s clear this has compromised their races where they are too hard on the tyres. Max will push them again.
      All I keep thinking is what a great championship this would be without merc and redbull. The battle behind is great

      • + 0
      • Aug 16 2020 - 07:36
    • It would, but I think the budget cap can amend that to some extent. Ferrari will certainly not be able to compensate for clumsyness with money from now on, and RB and Merc' won't be able to spend silly high sums of cash either from then on. If not, I sadly think we are seeing more and more reasons for why BoP in F1 might not be a shabby idea.

      • + 0
      • Aug 16 2020 - 09:36
    • Snooky

      Posts: 121

      I’m not certain the budget cap will, at least to start with. I can see the big 3 and maybe even Renault spending a lot money in development already ahead of the restrictions.
      BoP is hard to get right, it’s used in WEC and it took years to get right in LMP1, and in the GTE categories the teams were able to abuse it and sandbag heavily before the race so that they got favourable BoP during the race

      • + 0
      • Aug 16 2020 - 11:26

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
22 - Mar 24
Australia
5 - Apr 7
Japan
19 - Apr 21
China
3 - May 5
United States of America
17 - May 19
Italy
24 - May 26
Monaco
7 - Jun 9
Canada
21 - Jun 23
Spain
28 - Jun 30
Austria
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
30 - Sep 1
Italy
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
29 - Mar 2
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
19 - Apr 21
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
21 - Jun 23
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule
show sidebar