Nico Rosberg, former Formula 1 title rival of Lewis Hamilton, showered praise on the seven-time world champion for his awe-inspiring pole position lap at the Hungarian Grand Prix, hailing it as “perfection.”
After a qualifying drought that dated back to the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Hamilton secured a record-breaking pole at the Hungaroring, narrowly beating Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in a captivating Q3 showdown.
In a dramatic display of skill and determination, Hamilton snatched pole position from Verstappen by an astonishingly slim margin of just 0.003 seconds, setting the Hungaroring ablaze with his final lap of the session.
Nico Rosberg, who famously battled and defeated Hamilton for the 2016 title, spoke highly of his former rival, reminiscing about the special moments Hamilton used to have on the track.
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“He gave it everything he had,” Rosberg praised during his commentary on Sky F1.
“I witnessed these special moments and these days he used to have.
“Today was one of those… That lap there is like perfection, it’s art.
“Only Lewis Hamilton can do that on such days. No one could have even gone a hundredth quicker. How awesome, super.”
Fellow Sky F1 pundit, Danica Patrick, also expressed admiration for Hamilton’s exceptional performance.
“What’s really special is to execute at such a high level so consistently and still be able to squeak a little more out of it,” she remarked.
For Hamilton, the pole position held immense significance, describing it as feeling “like the first time.”
After a challenging year and a half, filled with intense battles and hard-fought races, Hamilton expressed his gratitude and joy for standing on the top spot once again.
“It’s been a crazy year and a half, I’ve lost my voice from shouting so much in the car.
“It’s amazing, that feeling.
“I feel so grateful to be up here because we’ve worked so hard, we’ve been pushing so hard over this time to get a pole it feels like the first time.
“I didn’t expect us coming today to be fighting for pole.
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“When I went into that last run I gave it absolutely everything, there was nothing left in it,” Hamilton explained.
The thrilling qualifying session at the Hungarian Grand Prix showcased the fierce competition between Hamilton and Verstappen, setting the stage for an intense battle in the main race.
Hamilton’s incredible ability to extract every ounce of performance from his car impressed fans and rivals alike, solidifying his position as one of the sport’s all-time greats.