I don't "lie" or 'sandbag' - Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton

I don't "lie" or 'sandbag' - Hamilton

Mercedes driver claimed his 97th pole in Portugal

Ian Parkes

Sunday 25 October 2020 09:15

Lewis Hamilton is adamant he does not "lie" or 'sandbag' during practice after snatching another pole position from the grasp of Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas.

Bottas has become known as 'Mr Friday' this season given his practice performances as he has finished top of FP1 for seven consecutive races.

Heading into qualifying for the Portuguese Grand Prix, Bottas was the driver to beat after clean sweeping practice for the second time this year, as was the case at another new circuit in Mugello.

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But just as at Mugello, Bottas was beaten to pole by Hamilton, who secured the 97th of his career to tee him up for a 92nd win that will see him claim the all-time record for race victories should he take the chequered flag.

Questioned whether he holds anything back in practice before brushing Bottas aside in qualifying, Hamilton said: "I don’t lie, I don’t have anything to hide, I don’t hold anything back.

"I’ve never personally felt that that’s worked. I remember when I was younger and in lower categories some people tried doing that stuff.

"But I remember trying it when I was in Formula 3, or something like that, and it never ended well so that’s never been something that was part of my philosophy."

Explaining his approach over the course of a weekend, Hamilton added: "It’s like building a wall - you put one brick, the next, the next and you just continue to improve throughout.

'There’s a lot of work that goes in the background, trying to fine-tune, get the right perfect setting for the brake bias and the diff and how you attack each corner. It just doesn’t come easy, so I’ve been pushing all weekend.

"I generally think I’ve been driving really well all weekend. I’ve been really happy with my performances through practice but he [Bottas] has always been at the top.

"So I really had to just continue to dig and to believe that I could eventually get there. Coming across the line and getting the pole, it was a great feeling, naturally, because I really had to work my socks off for it."

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