Hill snatches pole
(c) 1996 ATLAS TEAM
F1
Friday July 26, 1996
In the dying minutes of qualifying, Damon Hill broke the 1 minute 44 second barrier, and with it claimed the 18th pole of his career, and his 7th this season. Michael Schumacher had set the pace for the majority of the session, till he was eclipsed by Hill and then Gerhard Berger in the last mintue of the session, pushing Schumacher back to the second row of the grid, and knocking the huge Hockenheim crowd into silence.
Of the front three starters on the grid, Hill is the only driver never to have won a GP at Hockenheim.
Notes
- Forti Corse have apparently split from their major sponsor- Shannon. Although at the track, the Forti Corse team did not complete any laps.
- Jacques Villeneuve suffered a blown engine in the free practice session in the morning, and lost nearly half the session.
- Minardi record their first DNQ of the season, when Giovanni Lavaggi failed to set a time with in 107% of pole.
Quotes
Damon Hill: On qualifying:
"It's going to be a very good race car tomorrow, it's getting better all the time."
On suggestions he will be replaced at Williams next year:
"I don't waste my time on it, I'm concentrating on my job."
"Of course I am a bit disappointed at losing the pole position, but I am not surprised, I knew that my time would not stand and I was ready for it, although I didn't expect two drivers to beat me."
Top Ten of the day
- D.Hill 1m 43.912s
- G.Berger 1m 44.299s
- M.Schumacher 1m 44.477s
- M.Hakkinen 1m 44.644s
- J.Alesi 1m 44.670s
- J.Villeneuve 1m 44.842s
- D.Coulthard 1m 44.951s
- E.Irvine 1m 45.389s
- R.Barrichello 1m 45.452s
- M.Brundle 1m 45.876s
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