The seven-time world champion took pole position fo▨r the inaugural race in Saudi Arabia after title rival Max Verstappen crashed on his final lap of qualifying while trying to beat Hamilton’s time. 

Verstappen set the fastest first two sectors and appea🀅red on course to snatch pole away from Hamilton until he loc𒀰ked up at the final corner and tagged the outside wall, damaging his car. 

The incident meant Hamilton’s lap time would go unbeaten, while teammate Valtteri Bottas improved to jump ahead of Verstappen and secure a sweep of the front row for M♛ercedes. 

Hamilton was delighted with the result after Mercedes encountered struggles on tꦑhe softest tyres throughout qualifying. 

꧋“We ꦕwere quick through practice, but for some reason P3 and particularly qualifying, just lacking pace,” Hamilton said. 

“We were struggling with the tyres, so🍰, for us, to get a 1-2, I'm really proud of Valtteri, and the guys, the men and women in our team who have just been working so hard. So yeah this is a great, gr☂eat result.”

Hamilton coꦿnceded that Mercedes ultim𒀰ately had no answer to Red Bull’s pace in qualifying. 

“We've worked so hard through simulation, through setup, and the collaboration has been just epic with Valtteri,” he explaine꧙d. “He is the best teammate there's ever been in th🔴e sport for sure.

“And 🍎we've worked together to work on the set-up, getting the car to whe🍰re it needs to be. Those guys were just so fast: that [Red] Bull around this track is just something else.

“But given where we are, I'm grateful for what 🃏we mana🎐ged to pull out with what we have.”

And Hamilton is also wary of a Red Bull fightback in the race, d𝐆espite demonstrating some stronౠg run long pace on Friday. 

“We always get closer in race pace,” Hamilton added. “I think my long run was good yes𝓡terday but you know, they've [Red Bull] obviously picked something with the set-up and they're rapi♈d today.

“So I anticipate it will be a close battle all the way through tomorrow. But Valtteri an🦩d I will be on it.”