Portimao (Portugal): Valtteri Bottas took pole position at the Portuguese Grand Prix with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton completing a Mercedes front-row lockout in qualifying on Saturday.
Hamilton’s pursuit of a 100th pole at the track where last year he notched up his record 92nd win was delayed when Bottas earned the 17th of his career after a final qualifying session lap of 1min 18.348sec.
“It’s a good feeling to be on pole,” said Bottas.
He added: “Feels like it’s been a while. It’s been a weak point for me in the first two races. The team have been working hard all weekend and we have a good position for tomorrow.”
Bottas’ performance was well-timed after he had qualified third in the season-opener in Bahrain but then a lowly eighth at Emilia-Romagna.
His time was just 0.007sec faster than Hamilton.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, one point off Hamilton in the drivers’ standings, took third on Sunday’s grid with his teammate Sergio Perez alongside him on the second row in Portimao.
