Lewis Hamilton expressed satisfaction with the qualifying session and sets his sights on securing a podium on race day.
The 38-year-old was in awe of rival Max Verstappen’s extraordinary performance in qualifying performance, describing the Dutchman’s margin over the rest of the field as “pretty impressive.”
Despite implementing several modifications to their W14, the Silver Arrows couldn’t make a bold statement against their dominant rivals, Red Bull.
Securing the fourth position in qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps, Hamilton found himself over 0.9 seconds behind the championship leader, Verstappen.
However, due to a gearbox penalty, Verstappen will begin Sunday’s race from the sixth position on the grid, which elevates Hamilton into the top three.
Following the qualifying session, Lewis Hamilton expressed his satisfaction with his performance, considering the challenging conditions.
“Firstly, this track is incredible to drive,” he said. “It was definitely hectic because it was consistently drying.
“It was slippery at the beginning, and difficult to see. You know that every lap is going to be faster than the next lap. That’s why we were at the end of the pitlane early.
“Each session, the team did a great job in getting us out with great turnarounds. Head down, I was maximising as much as I could.
“I was still a good chunk off Max! Pretty impressive, but I’m really happy.”
The seven-time world champion is fully focused on securing a podium finish on Sunday, showcasing his consistent edge over teammate George Russell in qualifying.
“I guess I have Max behind, but that will be the goal, of course. P1, no-one got any running. Getting the set-up ready for qualifying was a big guessing game,” said the Mercedes driver.
“I’m hoping the car is decent in the long run tomorrow in the race. It didn’t feel bad today. The car was pretty decent. But in the middle sector, we were losing a second.
“I have to go and study, to figure out where that is. If there’s any way, with the package I have, that I can close that. We obviously need to work on making improvements.”
