Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton nips Vettel for pole position at Canadian Grand Prix
MONTREAL — Winning pole position at one of his favourite races was a thrill for Lewis Hamilton, but being presented afterward with a helmet once worn by his boyhood idol Ayrton Senna had the defending Canadian Grand Prix champion nearly in tears.
Hamilton’s best lap in a blazing, course-record one minute 11.459 seconds on Saturday earned the 65th pole position of his 11-year career, tying him with Senna for second place all-time, three behind Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher.
The Mercedes AMG ace will start on the front row at the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday alongside his Ferrari rival Sebastian Vettel.
As fans in the packed pit row grandstand stood and cheered after the qualifying session, Hamilton was handed Senna’s race-worn yellow helmet as a gift from the Brazilian great’s family. Senna was likely the world’s best driver when he was killed in a crash at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.