Nico Rosberg grabbed pole position ahead of his world championship leading Mercedes-GP teammate Lewis Hamilton for Sunday’s German Grand Prix with a bold fastest lap in the final minutes of a tense qualifying session.
Rosberg, 31, produced a startling best lap of one minute and 14.323 seconds to outpace defending three-time champion Hamilton by 0.123 seconds, having been forced to abort his first flying lap in the third qualifying session due to electrical problems.
When Hamilton went for his final lap, he was unable to improve and regain the initiative as Rosberg, on home soil, set himself up for a chance to regain the lead in the drivers’ championship.
“Well done, Nico, a fantastic lap and well done under the circumstances,” said Mercedes technical chief Paddy Lowe, who revealed that Rosberg’s car was heavily fuelled.
It was Rosberg’s 27th career pole.
Behind the two Mercedes came Australian Daniel Ricciardo, in his 100th grand prix. He was third fastest for Red Bull Racing ahead of his teammate Dutch teenager Max Verstappen, the pair slightly more than three-tenths behind.
The two Ferraris of four-time champion German Sebastian Vettel and his teammate Finn Kimi Raikkonen were fifth and sixth ahead of another German Nico Hulkenberg of Force India, Finn Valtteri Bottas of Williams, Mexican Sergio Perez in the second Force India and Brazilian Felipe Massa in the second Williams.
STARTING GRID FOR SUNDAY’S GERMAN GRAND PRIX:
1st row
Nico Rosberg (GER/Mercedes-GP)
Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes-GP)
2nd row
Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Red Bull Racing)
Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull Racing)
3rd row
Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/Ferrari)
Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari)
4th row
Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Force India)
Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Williams)
5th row
Sergio Perez (MEX/Force India)
Felipe Massa (BRA/Williams)
6th row
Esteban Gutierrez (MEX/Haas)
Jenson Button (GBR/McLaren)
7th row
Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Toro Rosso)
Fernando Alonso (ESP/McLaren)
8th row
Jolyon Palmer (GBR/Renault)
Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Renault)
9th row
Pascal Wehrlein (GER/Manor)
Daniil Kvyat (RUS/Toro Rosso)
10th row
Rio Haryanto (INA/Manor)
Romain Grosjean (FRA/Haas)
11th row
Felipe Nasr (BRA/Sauber)
Marcus Ericsson (SWE/Sauber)
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