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Lewis Hamilton thinks that achieving 100 pole positions would be the perfect finish to his F1 season after the champion racked up number 98 in Bahrain.
Hamilton said reaching 100 would be the icing on the cake of an “incredible year”.
Hamilton moved to within two of the landmark after scoring his tenth pole of the season for Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix following the fastest lap ever recorded under the 495 bulbs that light up the Sakhir Circuit.
Hamilton galloped to the title which drew him level with Michael Schumacher’s seven in Turkey a fortnight ago, but over one lap, he is the undisputed master too.
His 98th pole puts him on track to complete his century before the end of the year ahead of another race in Bahrain next Sunday before the season finale in Abu Dhabi on December 13.
It also took the Briton a staggering 30 poles clear of Schumacher on the all-time list, and 33 ahead of his childhood hero Ayrton Senna.
“It has been such an incredible year that anything from now is just an added bonus,” said Hamilton, 35, on the potential of raising his qualifying bat before the year’s close.
“I really didn’t celebrate winning the title to be honest, because I was training and trying to make sure I was ready for this race, and keeping my mind and eye on the ball.
“You know I came today and I was like, ‘let’s just have fun and enjoy it’, and that’s the most important thing, to enjoy what you’re doing. And with the pressure a little bit off, it’s a bit of a release to go and drive like I just did.”
With the title in the bag, Hamilton has shown few signs of taking his foot off the throttle in the desert, topping two of the three practice sessions before going fastest in Q1, Q2 and then securing yet another pole against his weary opposition.
Hamilton has already won ten of the 14 races staged in this COVID-disturbed calendar and such is the unstoppable nature of the Englishman and his all-conquering Mercedes team – indeed, this marked their 11th front-row lockout – Hamilton is the overwhelming favourite to take win number 11 on Sunday.
© AAP
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