Formula One: Bottas edges Hamilton to take pole at Eifel Grand Prix
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen just misses out to Mercedes duo in tussle at the top in Germany
Nurburgring: Valtteri Bottas produced a blistering final qualifying lap on Saturday to edge Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton and claim pole position for the Eifel Grand Prix.
Bottas was fastest by just 0.256 seconds to take his third pole of the season. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was a narrow third, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc fourth.
“It is such a nice feeling when you do it on the last lap,” said Bottas.
The chilly autumn weather has shaped practice and qualifying. Friday’s practice sessions were wiped out by fog and rain.
“It’s been pretty tricky with short practice and these conditions getting the tyres in the sweet spot, that was one of the bigger things today.
“I believe I can win. That’s the only goal for tomorrow and hopefully we can have a good start.”
Hamilton, who needs just one victory to equal Michael Schumacher’s record of 91 Grand Prix victories, had to settle for second on the grid alongside his teammate, who is 44 points behind him in the championship race.
“It’s an amazing circuit and one of the historic circuits so definitely great to be back here,” he said of the Nurburgring track.
Shortly before qualifying, Racing Point announced that Nico Hulkenberg would step in for Lance Stroll who was “unwell”.
Hulkenberg, who covered for Stroll’s teammate Sergio Perez at Silverstone, could only finish 20th and last in qualifying.