SUZUKA, JAPAN // Nico Rosberg boosted his drivers' championship hopes by taking pole position for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix.
The German edged out his Mercedes-GP teammate Lewis Hamilton by 0.076 seconds in qualifying at Suzuka to pick up his second pole of the season and the 17th of his career.
Rosberg trails world champion Hamilton by 41 points with six races left in the season, which ends in Abu Dhabi on November 29.
It was a return to form for Mercedes, who have dominated the season, but were off form in Singapore last weekend when they were out-paced by both Ferrari and Red Bull Racing.
Mercedes are the team to beat in Japan, with the Williams of Valteri Bottas the best of the rest in third spot, but four-10ths off Rosberg’s pace.
Sebastian Vettel, who won in Singapore, was fourth in his Ferrari with the second Williams of Felipe Massa and the Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen completing the top six.
The session was red-flagged in the final seconds as Daniil Kvyat’s Red Bull had a crash on the entrance to the hairpin. He lost control of his car after putting a wheel on the grass, hitting the barriers, rolling over once, with both wheels on the left-hand side of the car being torn off.
The Russian was unhurt but will start in 10th as he had not set a lap time before he went off in the top 10 shoot-out.
Engine manufacturer Honda had a disappointing day at their home event as Jenson Button’s McLaren, 16th fastest, was eliminated in the first part of qualifying, and Fernando Alonso, while he did make it through to the second session, could not continue on to the top 10 and was 14th.
Max Verstappen will start 15th in his Toro Rosso after his car lost power and stopped at the hairpin on his final lap in the first part of qualifying. Although he had already done a lap fast enough to avoid being in the bottom six, with his car stuck on track his participation was done and he did not set another lap time, ensuring he was last in the second session.
Sunday’s race begins at 9am UAE time.
gcaygill@thenational.ae
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