LEWIS HAMILTON and George Russell clashed on observe throughout qualifying for the Spanish GP.
It’s the first time the 2 have made contact – with Russell accepting he was accountable for driving into his Mercedes team-mate.
The 2 Mercedes drivers collided on the straightCredit score: Twitter/SKYSPORTSF1
Whereas Russell was eradicated from qualifying within the second session, Hamilton will begin the Spanish GP in fifth place.
However he was nonetheless half a second off the tempo of pole-sitter Max Verstappen, who continued to blow away the remainder of the sphere.
The Dutchman’s tempo was so superior he was comfy to abort his ultimate flying lap, regardless of trying like he would higher his provisional pole.
Hamilton and Russell’s flashpoint occurred on the best way right down to Flip One with Russell driving into his team-mate.
The contact broke off a chunk of Hamilton’s entrance wing and can little doubt set off an inside investigation.
However this was a routine pole for the championship chief, who seems untouchable.
Verstappen stated: “The automobile was actually good. It was initially difficult with the climate nevertheless it began to dry out and the automobile was on rails.”
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz will begin in second place with McLaren’s Lando Norris qualifying in third place, his finest beginning place of the season.
There have been early spins for Valtteri Bottas and Alex Albon because the drivers initially struggled with the damp observe on slick tyres.
The FIA took no probabilities to cease the session when Albon went off, sending stones scattering all around the observe.
However that was not an excuse for an additional woeful efficiency from Ferrari, who noticed Charles Leclerc qualify down in second-to-last place.
Whereas he initially complained of issues along with his automobile’s arrange, Leclerc was then held up on the weighbridge and finally ran out of time to set a fast lap time on the drying observe.
The second qualifying session noticed two extra scalps as Russell was eradicated after his conflict with Hamilton.
Russell was given the boot from Q2 and can begin in twelfth place after labelling his efficiency as “nowhere”.
The Mercedes man was additionally joined by Sergio Perez as his title problem continues to wilt at an alarming fee.
The Mexican made an unforced error and bumped into the gravel and finally paid the value after he was eradicated and can begin exterior the highest 10 in eleventh place.