INTERLAGOS, Brazil, CMC – McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton will start from the second row for Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix after finishing fourth behind surprise pole-sitter Williams rookie Nico Hulkenberg in final qualifying yesterday.
The 25-year-old, whose paternal grandparents are Grenadian, clocked one minute, 15.747 seconds as Hulkenberg (1:14.470) snatched his first ever pole in a bizarre turn of events during a rain-hit session for the penultimate Formula One race of the season.
Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel will start on the first row after finishing second in 1:15.519 while his teammate Mark Webber will join Hamilton on second row.
The result was not good news for Hamilton who is third in the drivers’ standings on 210 points, and needs a top three finish in order to remain in touch with leader Fernando Alonso (231) and the second placed Webber (220).
“I’ve started from fourth at this track before [in 2008], and it’s not my favourite spot, but I can’t really complain today,” said the Brit Hamilton.
“On the other hand, on my final lap, I got a bit held up in the final corner when someone was backing-up ahead of me, which was frustrating. But the car didn’t feel too bad – it wasn’t spectacularly good in the wet, but it felt a lot better in the dry at the end of qualifying three.”
Hamilton finished second in his last outing at the Korean Grand Prix two weeks ago but has not won a F1 race since he won the Belgian Grand Prix at Francorchamps two months ago.
Despite his recent form and his place on the grid for today’s race, Hamilton said he believed he had a good chance of winning.
