Hamilton on cloud nine after Hungary pole

I think coming here I’ve always had, generally, good experiences here, but loving the weather, loving the city.

Video replays indicated a right rear suspension failure after the vehicle went over artificial grass at the exit to turn 11 and pitched sideways across the track and into the barriers.

It’s the fifth time in a row and the ninth this season the 30-year-old Briton has out-performed Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg in qualifying.

“Seeing the gap to Nico is a good thing, but ultimately it doesn’t matter whether it is six tenths or five hundredths of a second“, Hamilton said. We have been shown once more the dangers of our sport, that these should be respected and that we drivers commit ourselves to the chance that those dangers are there when we step into the vehicle.

“So he was struggling a bit yesterday”.

All the drivers in Thursday’s official FIA press conference, ahead of this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, paid tribute to the late 25-year-old, but when quizzed if it will not affect what they do on the race-track. The German just shaded his compatriot Sebastian Vettel, who is one place ahead of Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo in fourth. For last year’s victor, it was proof that he had the confidence to resist the temptation of the softs. They think we’re just sitting here in luxury.

After a minor mechanical mishap at the end of morning practice, Rosberg was eager to get a lap under his belt.

It is a huge disappointment for the McLaren team, who had hoped for more from their recalcitrant Honda engine at a circuit that should have flattered their underpowered vehicle.

At least he made Q2, though Jenson Button was forced to take an early bath after ERS problems struck his auto.

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff revealed that Hamilton had been set for an even faster time but lost 0.2secs in one corner.

Rosberg was first out on track in qualifying, closely followed by Hamilton, who was almost one second faster than Rosberg on their first laps. “We have never seen anything like it before”. “I just didn’t find the pace”.

Bianchi, 25, succumbed to severe head injuries last week sustained in an accident in October’s Japanese Grand Prix after a protracted nine-month long battle.

After taking the fight to Mercedes at Silverstone, Williams found life hard on the tight, twists of the Hungaroring, but not to the same extent as they had in Monaco.

Valtteri Bottas for Williams, Daniil Kvyat (Red Bull), Felipe Massa in the second Williams, youngster Max Verstappen for Toro Rosso and Romain Grosjean in the Lotus rounded out the top 10. Qualifying has been good, particularly my first run in Q3 which has really given me those pole positions.