The pre-race call that gave Hamilton the edge at Portimao
Lewis Hamilton seized Formula 1's all-time win record with victory in a tricky Portuguese Grand Prix for Mercedes. He went wheel-to-wheel with Valtteri Bottas and won out, but a pre-qualifying decision was key to gaining a decisive advantage
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He didn't think twice when the time came. He'd homed in on his rival, ratcheted up the pressure, got into the perfect position.
As a result, Valtteri Bottas was powerless to resist Lewis Hamilton's attack, armed with DRS, down the Algarve International Circuit's main straight at the start of lap 20 of 66 in last weekend's Portuguese Grand Prix. Bottas refused to cede the inside line, stealing onto the dusty asphalt very close to the pitwall, but it was never going to be enough. Hamilton was through, his record-clinching 92nd Formula 1 victory in sight.
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