Malaysian GP: Hamilton says pole was just his banker lap
Lewis Hamilton reckons his Mercedes Formula 1 team's advantage in the wet is bigger than it looks, after setting his pole position time on a banker lap
The Mercedes driver moved to the top of the timesheets early on before pitting for fresh extremes, but his final run was ruined when he ran off the track after finding it tricky to see in the wet.
That meant his first run was his best lap, and he claimed that it was nowhere near as good as he could have done.
"For the first lap in Q3, we have to be a little bit more within the limit to make sure you definitely get a lap in, just in case you have something like I have happens or there is a yellow flag," said Hamilton, who just edged out Sebastian Vettel to grab pole for the Malaysian GP.
"But the most important thing is to get a banker lap, maybe eke out a bit more time. But it doesn't matter. I got what I needed out of it."
Hamilton said his last run did not come together because of the visibility issues and some time lost stuck in Nico Hulkenberg's spray.
"It was very difficult to see - that was the trickiest part particularly at the end," he said.
"I was stuck behind Hulkenberg who slowed down on his lap. I thought he was coming in, and he looked like he was coming in because he went wide on the final turn, but as I got to start the lap he came across so I was stuck behind him.
"I couldn't see a thing as it was like driving through thick fog. And that was the lap that I needed and I should have had to really get pole. So I am so glad or happy that the lap I did before was good enough."
Although closest rival Sebastian Vettel nearly wrestled pole position away, Hamilton reckons that if he had delivered what he was capable of then the gap would have been much bigger.
"If I had another lap as Sebastian did, I think I would have been able to eke a bit more time out," he said.
But Vettel also said he did not produce all that he could have done after missing out on pole by 0.055 seconds.
"For my first attempt I felt there was a bit of time to gain here and there, so obviously very, very close; too close because definitely the margin was possible to go that much faster," said the Red Bull driver.
Previous article
Malaysian GP: Adrian Sutil seeks Formula 1 wet tyre improvements
Next article
Malaysian GP: Jenson Button feels qualifying tyre gamble worthwhile
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Drivers | Lewis Hamilton |
| Author | Jonathan Noble |
What Mercedes must do to keep its F1 title challenge on track
Mercedes may find itself leading the drivers' and constructors' standings after Lewis Hamilton's victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, but it is well-aware that it came against the odds, with Red Bull clearly ahead on pace. Here's what the Brackley team must do to avoid its crown slipping
Why Tsunoda can become Japan’s greatest F1 talent
While Japan's fever for motor racing is well-documented, the country has yet to produce a Formula 1 superstar – but that could be about to change, says BEN EDWARDS
Why the demise of F1's hypocritical spending habit is cause for celebration
For too long, F1's richest teams have justified being able to spend as much as they want because that's the way they've always conducted their business. STUART CODLING says that's no reason not to kick a bad habit
The double whammy that is defining Vettel’s F1 fate
It's been a tough start to Sebastian Vettel's Aston Martin F1 career, with a lack of pre-season testing mileage followed by an incident-packed Bahrain GP. But two key underlying factors mean a turnaround is not guaranteed
The diva that stole a march on F1’s wide-bodied opposition
In 2017 new F1 technical regulations were supposed to add drama - and peg Mercedes back. STUART CODLING looks at the car which, while troubled, set the stage for the wide-bodied Formula 1 era
The themes to watch in F1’s Imola return
Three weeks is a long time in Formula 1, but in the reshaped start to the 2021 season the teams head to Imola to pick things up after the frenetic Bahrain opener. Here's what to look out for and the developments to follow at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
The 'new' F1 drivers who need to improve at Imola
After a pandemic-hit winter of seat-swapping, F1 kicked off its season with several new faces in town, other drivers adapting to new environments, and one making a much-anticipated comeback. BEN ANDERSON looks at who made the most of their opportunity and who needs to try harder…
The delay that quashed Aston Martin’s last F1 venture
Aston Martin’s only previous foray into Formula 1 in the late 1950s was a short-lived and unsuccessful affair. But it could have been so different, says NIGEL ROEBUCK
