Hamilton in fine fettle after dominant qualifying

Editor

A “fresh and healthy” Lewis Hamilton was upset that qualifying could not go on any longer after he waltzed to pole position at Circuit of The Americas.

The Brit has topped every session so far this weekend and clinched a 72nd career pole by two tenths as Sebastian Vettel recovered well to split the two Mercedes cars.

Hamilton broke another record previously held by Michael Schumacher in the process, as he will now start on the front row for the 117th time in his career.

“Yee-ha!” said an enthusiastic Hamilton in the on-track interviews.

“The track was very difficult today with the wind picking up, you’ve got a head wind down to Turn One and through the fast section there was a tail wind, then a head wind through the nine – it was shifting through the lap.”

“But that’s why I love this track. It’s a great circuit to drive especially with a car like that.”

Hamilton then revealed he is in a great frame of mind as he closes in on a fourth World Championship title and wished qualifying went on for longer.

He added: “I feel fantastic. I feel fresh and healthy and wish qualifying would go on longer.

“The last lap was not spectacular, but up until then very, very strong.

“The team has done an exceptionally job all weekend to filter all the data and put the car in the right place.

“The last lap I got caught out by a bit of a gust, but that’s how it goes. But so happy to be up here, especially in front of such a great crowd.”