Defending champion Lewis Hamilton grabbed pole position in the Belgian Grand Prix qualifying and dedicated it to Hollywood star Chadwick Boseman, who lost his battle against cancer early Saturday morning.
Hamilton set a new track record with a blistering time of 1:41.252 to grab the top spot for the main race on Sunday. Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas lost out by 0.511 seconds to clinch 2nd place on the grid, ahead of Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen, who was 0.526 seconds adrift in 3rd.
F1 Belgian GP Live Streaming : Hamilton on pole, dedicates it to Hollywood star Chadwick Boseman, who lost his battle against cancer
Hamilton later dedicated his sixth pole position at Spa-Francorchamps and record-extending 93rd overall to the late Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, an actor whose work celebrated African-American pioneers and culture, died at age 43 after a four-year battle with colon cancer on Saturday.
Chadwick Boseman, a native of South Carolina who began his screen career in episodes of television dramas such as “Third Watch,” “Law & Order” and “ER,” passed away at his home, with his wife and family at his side.
“I woke up to the sad news of Chadwick passing away. That news really, really broke me. He was such a shining light. Wakanda Forever. I just wanted to come out today and drive to perfection,” Hamilton said after qualifying.
Boseman’s most memorable role was his performance as T’Challa, king of the fictional, futuristic African kingdom of Wakanda and the crime fighter known as Black Panther, in the first major studio superhero movie featuring a predominantly African-American cast.Embraced by global audiences, “Black Panther” became the second highest grossing movie at box offices worldwide in 2018, heralded for its vibrant celebration of African culture and applauded as a milestone for racial diversity in Hollywood.
Meanwhile, Hamilton is primed to extend his championship lead on Sunday, which currently stands at 37 points over Verstappen and 43 over Bottas.
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