Valencia: Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel took a big step towards becoming Formula 1’s first repeat winner of the season after qualifying on pole position for Sunday’s European Grand Prix.
The 24-year-old double world champion whooped with joy over the team radio after beating McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton to the top slot with a best time of one minute 38.086 seconds in the Valencia heat.
“Oh yes, we did the right thing at the end. That was a challenge, boys,” shouted the German after being told that Hamilton and “the rest of the world” was behind him on the grid.
His 33rd career pole lifted Vettel to equal third place with four-time champion Alain Prost and the late Jim Clark in the all-time records.
“I had a good feeling on the last lap, put everything in and it was good enough for pole,” he told reporters.
Team principal Christian Horner said it was more than good. “He put together a perfect lap, probably his best lap this year I would say.”
Hamilton, winner in Canada two weeks ago but whose team have yet to triumph in Valencia, was surprised to have made second on the grid – a hefty 0.324 seconds behind – after a difficult time in Friday practice.
“I expected to be further back,” said the 2008 world champion, who leads Spaniard Fernando Alonso by two points after seven races with Vettel a point further adrift.
“We had to make some adjustments and it seemed to work. I am surprised,” added the Briton, whose team mate Jenson Button qualified ninth, despite being strong in practice.
Venezuela’s Pastor Maldonado, a surprise winner of the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona last month, was an impressive third for Williams.
He is followed by the two Lotuses of Romain Grosjean and Kimi Raikkonen, who have been going well in hot weather this season.
Nico Rosberg was sixth in Mercedes and local favourite Alonso was back in 11th. His Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa ended 13th, a place behind Mercedes’ Michael Schumacher, while Vettel’s Australian team mate Mark Webber failed to get through the first session and starts 19th due to a problem with his rear wing.
Hopes of an eighth different winner in the first eight races are slim, with the top three all having won this season and no winner in four previous races here having ever started lower than third. (Reuters)