Hamilton blasts to US Grand Prix pole

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Lewis Hamilton pulverized the track record to claim pole position on Saturday ahead of a US Grand Prix that could secure the Mercedes driver’s fourth Formula One world championship title.

The 32-year-old Briton had a best lap in the first free practice with one minute and 36.335 seconds to outpace title rival Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari by 0.593 seconds.

Hamilton, chasing his fifth win in six years at the Circuit of the Americas, will be champion on Sunday if he scores 16 points more than the German. Vettel is the only other driver to have won at the Texas track.

The pole was the 72nd of Hamilton's career and 11th of the season.

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel (left) of Germany, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton (center) of Great Britain, and Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland wave to the crowd after qualifying for the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas on October 21, 2017. /Reuters Photo

While Mercedes look sure to clinch the constructors' championship for the fourth year in a row on Sunday, with a 145-point advantage over Ferrari, Hamilton played down his own chances of wrapping things up in America.

"I think it's highly unlikely that's going to be the case," he told the cheering crowd from the pit straight after parking up.

"Sebastian did a great job today to bring the Ferrari back up there. I think ultimately all I can do is do the best I can of my abilities and we are going to work as hard as I can to get maximum points."

In the drivers' standings, Hamilton leads on 306 points, 59 more than second-placed Vettel. Hamilton will seal the title in Sunday's race if he can win and Vettel fails to finish in the top five.

Vettel’s time of 1:33.347 puts him ahead of Hamilton's teammate Valtteri Bottas, who qualified third and shares the second row with Red Bull’s Australian Daniel Ricciardo.

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany during practice for the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas on October 21, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen qualified fifth with Max Verstappen sixth for Red Bull, but the 20-year-old Dutch has a 15 place grid penalty. That will lift French driver Esteban Ocon up to the third row for Force India.

Spain's Carlos Sainz, preparing for his first race for Renault after switching from Toro Rosso, will start seventh and alongside compatriot Fernando Alonso in the McLaren.

New Zealander Brendon Hartley, making his Formula One debut at Toro Rosso, will be last on the grid after qualifying 18th but with a 25 place penalty for an engine change decided on before he arrived in the team.

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Source(s): Reuters ,Xinhua News Agency