Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton beats Mercedes teammate to take 90th pole position
Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton beat Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas on Saturday (Sunday NZ time) to take pole position for the seventh time at the Hungarian Grand Prix. It was Hamilton's second straight pole this season and record-extending 90th of his Formula One career - 22 more than next-best Michael Schumacher. I just have to pinch myself, it doesn't register,'' Hamilton said. ``It does not seem real.`` Hamilton has won seven times at the Hungaroring and the veteran British driver needs one more to equal F1 great Schumacher's single-track record of eight wins, when the French GP was held at Magny-Cours. READ MORE: * Formula One star Lewis Hamilton raises right fist in fight against racism * Mercedes' Valterri Bottas holds his nerve to win chaotic Austrian GP * Sebastian Vettel could walk away from Formula One for good without right offer * Dominant Lewis Hamilton wins Styrian Grand Prix as Ferraris crash into each other Hamilton was .107 seconds quicker than Bottas and .93 faster than Racing Point driver Lance Stroll. The car was on fire today ... I'm going to try and get some big points tomorrow,'' said an exuberant Stroll, whose teammate Sergio Perez was fourth. Racing Point uses Mercedes engines and is looking quicker than Ferrari, which is falling behind. Four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel and teammate Charles Leclerc were fifth and sixth _ both around 1.3 slower than Hamilton _ who was beaten 7-5 for poles by Leclerc last year. Max Verstappen starts seventh on Sunday for Red Bull ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris. In the first part of qualifying _ Q1 _ Perez led Stroll with Hamilton third and Verstappen unhappy in eighth. We have to check my engine, it's all over the place,'' the Dutch driver said. Hamilton headed Q2 from Bottas while Alexander Albon was among the five eliminated in a blow for Red Bull, along with the Renaults of Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon. Earlier, Bottas led Hamilton by .042 seconds in overcast conditions for the third and final practice. Bottas won the season-opening Austrian GP and six-time F1 champion Hamilton clinched the Styrian GP the following week in Austria after a brilliant pole position in teeming rain. AP