Portimao (Portugal) (AFP)
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) took pole position for the Portuguese Grand Prix by setting the fastest qualifying time on Saturday ahead of his teammate Valtteri Bottas.
This is the 9th pole of the season for the Briton and the 97th of his career.
In the event of victory on Sunday, he would become the absolute record holder for F1 Grand Prix victories with 92 wins for 91 to Michael Schumacher.
Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) will start in 3rd position ahead of Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari).
"We have a fantastic car but you really have to work hard to get the best out of it. Valtteri was really quick all weekend, getting the best time in each of the practice sessions so I got deep into myself - even to find the extra seconds, ”said Hamilton.
He currently has a 69-point lead in the championship over Bottas with six races to go and is aiming for a 7th title this year, tying the same Michael Schumacher's record.
Mercedes can also mathematically obtain a 7th consecutive constructors' title, but its rival Red Bull will have to suffer a poor performance on the Algarve circuit, registered for the first time on the calendar of the F1 world championship.
This circuit welcomes spectators this weekend but in limited numbers due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The start of the race must be given on Sunday at 14:10 (13:10 GMT).
© 2020 AFP