Lewis Hamilton claims 100th F1 pole position at Spanish Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton continues to make history as he claimed his 100th pole position Saturday ahead of the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix.

The Mercedes driver’s first and fastest lap of 1:16.741 edged Red Bull rival Max Verstappen by 0.036 second to start first in the race Sunday. Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas will start third on the grid. Mercedes has claimed the last nine pole positions in Barcelona.

“Woo, yes!� Hamilton said on his team radio as he finished his last qualifying lap and got the news of the accomplishment. “Great job, guys. That was hard work.�

Hamilton already holds the top spot for most pole positions in the sport, passing Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher’s previous record of 68 at the 2017 Italian Grand Prix. That season, he climbed the ranks to also pass Brazilian hero Ayrton Senna who finished his storied career with 65 pole positions.

“100 POLES! I can’t even begin to describe how this feels,� Hamilton wrote in a post on Instagram. “I can’t thank the team and everyone back at the factory enough for everything they’ve done to help us secure this incredible milestone. I feel so humbled and very grateful. This feels like my first win all over again. Thank you all for your love and positivity. The journey doesn’t end here, we’ve still go lots more to do.�

Last season, in his campaign to tie Schumacher with seven series championships, Hamilton also claimed the titles for most wins, most wins with a single constructor, most consecutive points finishes and most podium finishes.

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The British legend is currently leading the 2021 F1 season after three races with 69 points, leading Verstappen by eight. He’s been on the podium all three times and won two races.

The Spanish Grand Prix starts at 6 a.m. PST Sunday and will be streamed on ESPN. Hometown drivers Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso will start the race sixth and 10th, respectively.