Lewis Hamilton (Photo Credit: AP)
Spanish Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton topped Valtteri Bottas (second) and Max Verstappen (third) ahead of qualifying.
- Associated Press Montmelo
- Last Updated: August 15, 2020, 5:16 PM IST
Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton was fastest in final practice for the Spanish Grand Prix ahead of qualifying later on Saturday, where he will go for a record-extending 92nd pole position.
Hamilton was 0.151 seconds clear of Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas and 0.515 in front of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. McLaren’s Carlos Sainz Jr. showed impressive pace and ended fourth.
Mercedes also led practice on Friday with Bottas and Hamilton swapping places. Verstappen was third in both sessions.
Esteban Ocon did go off moments from the end of P3 when he had to swerve suddenly to the right to avoid crashing into the back of Kevin Magnussen, who broke late.
Ocon went into the wall and damaged the front of his Renault, bringing a red flag out to stop the session and giving the Renault team just two hours to repair the car for qualifying.
Four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel struggled again despite Ferrari fitting his car with a new chassis, finishing 12th.
Verstappen won last Sunday’s race at Silverstone to end a streak of three wins for Hamilton and four straight for Mercedes. It also moved the Dutch driver up to second place in the standings behind Hamilton, with Bottas dropping to third.
Hamilton has won the past three Spanish GPs, although those were held in May in lower temperatures not so tough on tires.
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