LEWIS Hamilton will have to cope with a burning backside today as he bids for a fourth Chinese Grand Prix victory.
Hamilton will be in the hot seat in more ways than one as the reigning world champion is having to deal with an overheating cockpit. It has so far not troubled him too much, as the Briton followed up being quickest in every practice session at the Shanghai International Circuit by claiming the 41st pole position of his career. Five of those have been in China, including the last three years, and yesterday Hamilton finished 0.042secs clear of Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg - their 13th front-low lockout.
As to whether Hamilton can handle 56 laps in a hot car remains to be seen, although he said: "If you're winning you can do anything."
He added: "Sometimes you have heat coming into the cockpit from the hydraulics, the radiator tube, wires. Sometimes your feet and ankles get warm at some races as there will be a small leak somewhere which they have been patching up. I've also changed the seat as the previous one had less insulation, so I'm sure they'll do everything to help."
Asked whether what was occurring was burning through his overalls, Hamilton replied: "It doesn't, but it does blast pretty hot."
Explaining the problem, Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff said: "There is an electronic box below his bum, so it's either that, or the engine itself. We have changed the seat, put in more insulation between the seat and the chassis, but as yet it's not solved."
To date, in response to the surprise victory by Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari in Malaysia a fortnight ago, Hamilton has been untouchable.
Back-to-back victories in China appear a foregone conclusion, yet the issue of tyre wear - which Wolff has stated is his main concern - may prove the Briton's undoing. Hamilton, however, has no doubt he can keep Rosberg and the Ferraris at bay.
"There is a threat from both," said Hamilton. "Naturally in the same car, with Nico being quick and compet- itive, I would have to say he will be the toughest competitor initially.
"Ferrari have done a great job to improve, and I think their pace is going to be different tomorrow compared to today as they are close on long-run pace.
"They're also really good at looking after their tyres, but I feel we are strong enough to handle whatever they throw at us."
Rosberg, meanwhile, was frustrated at again finishing second best to Hamilton for the fifth time this season - twice in the races and three times in qualifying. Informed over the radio of the gap to Hamilton come the conclusion to qualifying, an exasperated Rosberg said: "Oh come on guys!"
Expanding on his remark, Rosberg added: "I was frustrated about the four hundredths [of a second] today. That's the blink of an eye. It was in the moment because I want to be on pole. A lap is never perfect, it was a really good lap, but not 100% - 99.5. I did think I had done enough. I had the time in my mind and I was convinced it was enough, but it wasn't. Despite that I'm in for the fight. That's what I'm going to do, I've the car to do it."
Final positions after qualifying: 1 L Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1min 35.782secs, 2 N Rosberg (Ger) Mercedes GP 1:35.824, 3 S Vettel (Ger) Ferrari 1:36.687, 4 F Massa (Bra) Williams 1:36.954, 5 V Bottas (Fin) Williams 1:37.143, 6 K Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 1:37.232, 7 D Ricciardo (Aus) Red Bull 1:37.540, 8 R Grosjean (Fra) Lotus F1 Team 1:37.905, 9 F Nasr (Bra)Sauber-Ferrari 1:38.067, 10 M Ericsson (Swe) Sauber-Ferrari 1:38.158, 11 P Maldonado (Ven) Lotus F1 Team 1:38.134, 12 D Kvyat (Rus) Red Bull 1:38.209, 13 M Verstappen (Ned) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:38.393, 14 C Sainz (Spa)Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:38.538, 15 S Perez (Mex) Force India 1:39.290, 16 N Hulkenberg (Ger) Force India 1:39.216, 17 J Button (Gbr) McLaren 1:39.276, 18 F Alonso (Spa) McLaren 1:39.280, 19 W Stevens (Gbr)Manor Marussia F1 1:42.091, 20 R Merhi (Spa) Manor Marussia F1 1:42.842.
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