Budapest (AFP)

A class apart: Lewis Hamilton took pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Saturday, his second in a row in three races since the start of the F1 season, relegating all the field except his teammate to light years.

The gap on the timesheet is abysmal: 930/1000, almost a second, between Hamilton and the first of the others, the Canadian Lance Stroll (Racing Point). The latter will share the second line with his Mexican team-mate Sergio Pérez on Sunday at 3.10 p.m. (1.10 p.m. GMT), still behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.

During the first two GPs of 2020, on a circuit (the Austrian Red Bull Ring) which rewards engine power, the Silver Arrows, black this year in support of the fight against racism, signed two poles and two successes.

On the Hungaroring in Budapest, Hungary, which favors aerodynamic downforce, they dominate even more clearly since the free practice on Friday.

A frustrating observation is therefore imposed so early in the season: after six years of unrivaled domination by Mercedes, this time again, "the main fight seems to be between Lewis and me", summarizes Bottas.

Winner of the first GP of the season and second of the next, the Finn occupies the first place in the championship, with six points ahead of his six-time world team-mate.

- Hamilton "must be pinched" -

With 25 points for the winner and 18 for the second (a difference of seven units), "the battle for the point of the best lap looks interesting" on a circuit hardly favorable for overtaking, anticipates Bottas.

Hamilton, who "must (pinch)" to believe in this 90th pole in F1, is cautious. "The road is long until the first corner, nothing is given here," he slips. "The race will also be long and the weather uncertain", with the risk of rain.

The fact remains that Hungary is for him "a good hunting ground": since its beginnings in 2007, the Briton has won there seven times and signed seven poles.

Two records, the last of which he shares with the German Michael Schumacher. But it's another record from German legend that the Mercedes driver aims for in 2020: that of seven world titles.

Yet expected on a track on which he signed his first pole position in F1 last year, the Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) is only 7th and his Thai teammate Alexander Albon 13th.

"We really didn't expect them to be this far," said Hamilton. "We thought their car was much better than what we saw today."

- "Mercedes roses" -

This weekend, the second strength of the field is therefore neither Red Bull nor Ferrari (which places Sebastian Vettel 5th and Charles Leclerc 6th) but indeed Racing Point. It should not fail to feed the controversy over the "pink Mercedes".

The British team, which sports a pink livery, was largely inspired by the sacred Mercedes in 2019 to design its 2020 single-seater. A strategy that many of its competitors dispute, starting with Renault, which lodged complaints over the weekend. end last.

No decision is expected, however, before the days leading up to the next GP in Britain on August 2.

The French Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), Esteban Ocon (Renault) and Romain Grosjean (Haas), they are respectively ranked 10th, 14th and 18th.

Finally, note the notable progress of Williams, who after placing one of his cars in the top 15 + qualifiers + for the first time since 2018 last week, sees this time the Briton George Russell 12th and the Canadian Nicholas Latifi 15th.

© 2020 AFP