Hamilton kicking himself after Hockenheim mistake

Hamilton kicking himself after Hockenheim mistake

Lewis Hamilton was kicking himself on Saturday after failing to record a good enough lap to secure pole position on his final qualifying attempt at the German Grand Prix.

“It’s like when you guys write a bad story,” a visibly gutted Hamilton told reporters after ending up second fastest. “When any of you guys are pissed off about something, your own performance, you’re not happy.”

The Briton had trailed pacesetting Nico Rosberg in each of the three practice sessions in the build-up to qualifying.

Hamilton then pulled out all the stops to go fastest in the opening two phases of the hour-long session on Saturday before locking up on his last lap.

“I was quickest, quickest, quickest and … I didn’t deliver,” said the world champion. “That’s something I have to handle and deal with … when you kind of kick yourself a little bit.”

Hamilton heads into Sunday’s race leading Mercedes team mate Rosberg by six points in the overall drivers’ standings.

The 31-year-old, who was 43 points adrift of the German following May’s Spanish Grand Prix, went ahead after claiming his fifth win in six races in Hungary last week.

Hamilton is now focused on denying his rival the satisfaction of a victory on home soil.

“I’m not down, firstly, I’ve got a race to win tomorrow,” said the Briton who won in Hungary from second on the grid after being beaten to pole by Rosberg in controversial circumstances.

“I’m moving forwards now and tomorrow I can make a difference.”

-Flying Rosberg-

Rosberg, determined to take back the championship lead from Hamilton on Sunday after losing it in last weekend’s race in Hungary, lapped the 4.5-km Hockenheim track in one minute 14.363 seconds.

The German had only one flying lap to set his time, however, after being forced to abandon his first attempt in the final pole-position phase of qualifying due to an electronics problem.

“It’s a great feeling and just a great lap,” Rosberg said. “I also had extra fuel to make sure I could get another shot … so (I am) really satisfied with that one, that was cool.”

Saturday’s pole was the 27th of Rosberg’s career and fifth of the season. It was also Mercedes’s 47th in the last 50 races. The German team have started all but one race this year from the front.

Hamilton, who escaped a penalty for an unsafe release in the final practice session, was 0.107 seconds slower than Rosberg.

The Briton had trailed the German in each of the three practice sessions in the build-up to qualifying but was quickest in Sunday’s opening two phases before locking up on his final lap.

Daniel Ricciardo will head an all-Red Bull second row after going third-fastest ahead of 18-year-old Dutch team mate Max Verstappen.

The Australian, who finished third in Hungary, was 0.363 seconds behind Rosberg’s benchmark but was optimistic that a different tyre strategy to the Mercedes pair could put him in the mix.

“There was maybe a tenth or so in it with the perfect lap, but not enough to challenge the pole,” said Ricciardo. “We’re close enough … so hopefully it means something tomorrow.”

Kimi Raikkonen was fifth for Ferrari, beating team mate Sebastian Vettel who was a disappointing sixth on his first appearance on home soil in the Italian team’s scarlet colours.

Nico Hulkenberg was seventh ahead of Williams driver Valtteri Bottas and Force India team mate Sergio Perez. Felipe Massa, in the second Williams, was 10th.

Rosberg won at Hockenheim in 2014 and a repeat would allow him to put the brakes on Hamilton, who has won five of the last six races.

Mercedes will be anxious for their two drivers to make a clean start, with top management watching at what is a home event for them.

The team put stricter deterrents in place and tightened the “rules of engagement” after the latest in a spate of collisions between the pair earlier this month.

“We’ve talked about it a lot what the consequence would be and that hasn’t changed,” said team boss Toto Wolff. “They are aware.”

Tags:

Lewis Hamilton Formula 1 Nico Rosberg McLaren Mercedes German GP

Want to send us a story? Submit on Wananchi Reporting on the Citizen Digital App or Send an email to wananchi@royalmedia.co.ke or Send an SMS to 25170 or WhatsApp on 0743570000

Leave a Comment

Comments

No comments yet.

latest stories