Hamilton chases 100th pole in Portuguese GP qualifier

Portimao, April 29: World champion Lewis Hamilton eyes the Formula One milestone of 100 pole positions on the weekend at the Portuguese Grand Prix when he renews his duel with Max Verstappen. But the Mercedes star cannot afford another mistake as two weeks ago in Imola if he wants to keep his fast Red Bull rival at bay, DPA reported. Hamilton won the season-opener in Bahrain ahead of Verstappen before the Dutchman turned the tide in Italy, with pole-sitter Hamilton riding out in a rare mistake after which he still managed to rebound from ninth to second at the chequered flag. Mercedes’s dominance has helped Hamilton to his extraordinary record of pole positions. All eyes are on Red Bull who also contributed to Hamilton’s mishap in Imola. (IANS)