Lewis Hamilton breaks Michael Schumacher’s record, claims 69th pole in Italy - Hindustan Times
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Lewis Hamilton breaks Michael Schumacher’s record, claims 69th pole in Italy

Associated Press | ByAssociated Press
Sep 02, 2017 10:21 PM IST

Lewis Hamilton claimed his 69th career pole position on Saturday, breaking Michael Schumacher’s record in wet conditions at Monza, Italy.

Lewis Hamilton claimed his 69th career pole position Saturday to break the Formula One record previously held by his childhood idol, Michael Schumacher.

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton celebrates winning the pole position after the qualifying session at the Autodromo Nazionale circuit in Monza on September 2, 2017.(AFP)
Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton celebrates winning the pole position after the qualifying session at the Autodromo Nazionale circuit in Monza on September 2, 2017.(AFP)

Maintaining his focus after a 2 1/2-hour rain delay at the Italian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton finished more than a second ahead of Max Verstappen of Red Bull in difficult, wet conditions.

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Daniel Ricciardo in the other Red Bull qualified third, although both Red Bulls are taking grid penalties for engine changes.

Max Verstappen had taken the top spot just before Hamilton’s final lap, so when Lewis Hamilton reclaimed the leading position he rapidly pumped his fist multiple times before slowing down and waving to the crowd.

READ | Romain Grosjean accuses F1 of ‘double standards’ after Italian Grand Prix crash

“These guys definitely made me work for it,” Hamilton said. “The weather was obviously incredibly tricky for us all.

“There was a lot of pressure for that last lap so there was a lot to risk but I gave it everything,” the Mercedes driver said.

Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel placed seventh and eighth, respectively.

Hamilton set the record in Monza of all circuits, where Schumacher remains beloved by the legions of Ferrari fans who attend this race each year.

Schumacher won five of his record seven world championships with Ferrari from 2000-04 and the automaker is celebrating its 70th anniversary this weekend.

READ | Valtteri Bottas edges Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari close gap in Monza free practice

Fresh off his win in Belgium last weekend, Lewis Hamilton is looking to erase his seven-point deficit behind championship leader Vettel.

Hamilton established the record in just 201 races, far fewer than Schumacher’s 308. Still, the Briton has a long way to go to match Schumacher’s record of 91 race wins, although he stands second with 58.

The late Ayrton Senna is third on the all-time poles list with 65.

It’s also the fourth straight year that Lewis Hamilton will start first in Monza and it was his sixth pole overall on the track, breaking another record held by Senna and Juan Manuel Fangio.

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