How the F1 starting grid for the 2021 Portuguese Grand Prix is due and Mercedes will close the front row for the first time this season …
Valtteri Bottas recovered from a disastrous Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and the worst start to an F1 season since joining Mercedes to take his 17th pole position at Portimao.
The Finn kept Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton wait to secure his 100th F1 pole by leading qualifying for the first time in 2021 after beating the seven-time world champion by just 0.007 seconds.
Red Bulls Max Verstappen was disappointed to only finish third after his first lap of the third quarter – which would have been good enough for the Poles – was canceled due to track restrictions before traffic ruined his final run.
In Verstappen, Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez is on the second row of the grid, while Carlos Sainz achieved his best qualifying result since his fifth place at Ferrari.
On the subject of matching items
Starting in sixth place is Esteban Ocon, who starred ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc’s second Ferrari to achieve a groundbreaking qualifying result for Alpine.
AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly will drive from ninth place, while Sebastian Vettel after his first appearance in the third quarter for Aston Martin takes tenth place on the Portimao starting grid.
At the back of the grid, McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo starts from a low 16th place after eliminating a shock in the first quarter.
On the subject of matching items
Ricciardo is just ahead of Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin, Williams driver Nicholas Latifi and the two Haas newbies Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin.
The third round of the 2021 F1 season begins at 1500 local time (1500 BST).
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