Mercedes' British racer Lewis Hamilton takes his 97th career pole position at the F1 Portuguese Grand Prix qualifying race in Portimao, Portugal, October 24, 2020. /CFP
Lewis Hamilton seized pole position in the dying seconds of qualifying for the first Portuguese Grand Prix in 24 years on Saturday.
According to F1's official records, it was the six-time world champion's 97th career pole position and ninth pole of 2020. And the victory honored Mercedes' 13th-consecutive pole position, which is the sixth-longest streak in F1. The record, however, belongs to Williams, who took 24 poles in a row from 1992-93.
Hamilton's Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas and Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished second and third respectively.
He is perfectly placed for an all-time record 92nd victory on Sunday at the Algarve circuit near Portimao, two weeks after he matched Ferrari great Michael Schumacher's 91.
"I can't tell you how hard that was today. Yes we've got a great car but you have to drive the nuts off it to pull out a lap," said the Briton.
"Valtteri's been so quick this weekend, you've seen he's topped every session. So I've just been digging and digging and digging and trying to find that extra time."
Track marshals inspect drain covers on track leading to a delayed start to the qualifying race at Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimao, Portugal, October 24, 2020. /CFP
The pole was delayed for half an hour while loose drainage covers were fixed.
"It wasn't actually the drain cover, it was actually the concrete case underneath that collapsed," F1 race director Michael Masi said. "And then what we saw sticking up was the drain cover itself."
"Further checks were undertaken for a number of other drains at exactly the same point in time... It's something we haven't really seen before, a collapse of that nature," he said.
Red Bull's Thai driver Alex Albon attends the press conference of the F1 Portuguese Grand Prix in Portimao, Portugal, October 22, 2020. /CFP
London-born Thai driver Alex Albon has two races in which to demonstrate he deserves to stay at Red Bull next year, team boss Christian Horner said ahead of the qualifying race.
"We want Alex to claim that seat and basically justify that there is no need to look at any other alternative than Alex," added Horner. "I think everybody in the team wants to see him do that."
The team plans to raise its challenge next year, the last with Honda as engine suppliers, to combat Mercedes more directly in the constructors' and drivers' championships.
"He's a popular member of the team, but we need two cars closer together in order to fight the Mercedes," said Horner. "That's what we've got to do, that's our target."
Albon has struggled for consistency in his second year in F1 with Red Bull after a mid-season switch from Toro Rosso last year, his rookie season.
(With input from agencies)