"It means a lot, it feels like my first," says Lewis on Bahrain pole
Saturday 2 April 2016 19:07, UK
Lewis Hamilton has celebrated the "sexy lap" which secured the Mercedes driver a dramatic pole position just ahead of team-mate Nico Rosberg in Bahrain.
Hamilton had been as low as fourth before his final flying lap at the end of Q3 after an error on his initial flier but produced the fastest lap ever recorded at the Bahrain International Circuit to pip Rosberg by less than a tenth of a second.
"That was a sexy lap!" a jubilant Hamilton shouted as he crossed the line.
"Lewis just did a fantastic job," conceded Rosberg. "My lap felt good, I actually thought I was on pole."
Hamilton's pole position is the 51st of his career and was the undisputed highlight of a qualifying hour that otherwise fell flat with only one flying lap set in the final six minutes of Q2.
"It was a relief to finally put a lap together," Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. "On the lap before I was down already to Nico and then l went wide and lost it, so I knew that l had to go out and get everything more on that final lap.
"It means a lot - it felt like my first pole. I nearly lost my voice [on the warm-down lap], it was like scoring a goal!
Rosberg had been the faster Mercedes driver throughout practice and appeared set to claim his seventh pole position in the last eight Saturday outings.
"It's actually the only lap I've put together all weekend, and it was the last one. I hope that's the first of many," added Hamilton.
"Throughout practice I was going round and it wasn't quite perfect and Nico would be a tenth ahead. So to finally put it together and knowing that l had to improve after going off on my first flying lap, so happy."
Hamilton also divulged that he had set his Mercedes car up with race strategy in mind.
"I think that's maybe why I've been struggling against Nico this weekend," he suggested.
Both Mercedes cars were beaten off the line in Melbourne by Ferrari and Hamilton, who also claimed pole in Australia from Rosberg, has admitted that race starts remain an area of concern for the world champions.
"It's always important to get a good start. It's something we've been working on, but it's only been a couple of weeks so whether or not we've made big improvements I highly doubt it, but hopefully it is better," he said.
Rosberg, meanwhile, was left to rue his last-gasp defeat by such a narrow margin.
"I was 100 per cent sure l had pole so that was disappointing," the German admitted. "But if there is one track where pole isn't important it is here in Bahrain and so much can happen. It will be an interesting race with a lot of opportunities."
The Bahrain GP is live on Sky Sports F1 on Sunday. The race begins at 4pm, with build-up underway from 2.30pm. Or watch for £6.99 without a contract on NOW TV.
