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Lewis Hamilton says his 100th pole position felt “like one of the first”, as he goes on to recall his first pole position at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix.
After the historic Spanish Grand Prix qualifying, where he claimed his 100th pole position, Lewis Hamilton was at a loss for words.
“I don’t really feel like I can compute it right now,” the Briton said at the post qualifying press conference.
“It’s a huge number. I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel. 100 mark is something that I don’t think anybody, and particularly me, never thought that I’d ever get to that number.
“This journey that we’ve been on all these years, it’s been remarkable, and it’s been so enjoyable. It’s crazy that it is 100. And it felt like one of the first and that’s, for me, even more special.
The seven-time champion then went on to recall his first pole position at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix.
“I can’t remember exactly the feeling in 2007. I think back then it was where I was pushing for equality in terms of fuel load alongside my team-mate, and [it was] the first time they gave us the actual equal fuel load.
“I don’t know if people know, but 10 kilos of fuel here is worth over three tenths of a second, so if you’re carrying an extra lap, so have more fuel – which we were back then – that’s a tenth and a half or so.
“That was special and kind of felt amazing. Then just the first few just reassured that I was able to do what I did back then.
“Here we are, 100 poles later and still feel as young, so I’m good to keep going.”
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Hamilton drove his pole lap in his first Q3 run, despite having to slow down due to Sergio Perez spinning.
“I think it was a great lap,” explained the seven-time champion.
“It’s the journey that, sometimes you start qualifying, you’re quick from the get-go and you’ve got the right balance, and then it’s really just down to you doing the job.
“I didn’t have the right balance, and I was behind. I was making these changes and hoping that… By Q3, this is all I got, so make the best of it.
“So I do feel like it was a very, very clean and precise lap, and I guess that’s why I managed to just be ahead of Max. I’m proud of it, that’s for sure.”
And speaking of Sergio Perez’s spin, Lewis explains how it all looked from his perspective.
“There was a bunch of gravel on the track. There was a puff of smoke. So I came up to Turn 13 and didn’t know, so I kind of lifted and left a bit of time on the table.
“Max obviously did an amazing job in Q2 and there was no way we could do seven tenths quicker.
“And then, naturally for them, they’ve picked up a lot of pace today with the change of rear wing which has given them some nice speed on the straight.
“And so that’s put them in a lot more contention with us,” Lewis concluded.
