Hamilton storms to front row, savours biggest Sepang crowd: 'I love this energy'

In Sepang, Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton praised the electrifying atmosphere at the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC). The 41-year-old, who qualified second for tomorrow's race, described the crowd as the largest he has witnessed at the Malaysian circuit. Hamilton expressed his gratitude to Malaysia for their warm welcome.

He secured the front row with a time of 1 minute 35.428 seconds, just 0.298 seconds behind Red Bull Racing's four-time world champion Max Verstappen, who claimed pole position with a time of 1:35.130. Hamilton acknowledged the intense heat, which posed a significant challenge for the tires, the car, and the mechanics. Despite the difficulties, he and his team managed to fine-tune the car's setup in time for qualifying, which proved crucial in closing the gap to Verstappen.

Hamilton credited his team for the adjustments made during the practice sessions, as the cars were struggling to maintain a stable balance due to overheating tires. He emphasized his appreciation for the team's relentless efforts in finding the optimal configuration.