Formula 1
MERCEDES ON POLE FOR THE BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX.
Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg took pole position at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday, finishing ahead of Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull and Fernando Alonso of Ferrari.
It is only the second pole of Rosberg’s career but the second in a row for Mercedes. He timed 1:32.330 to finish 0.254 in front of Vettel — the three-time defending Formula One champion — and 0.337 ahead of Alonso, who won last week’s Chinese Grand Prix.
Rosberg screamed into the radio: “Yes! Come on guys, that’s how it’s done.”
Rosberg’s teammate, Lewis Hamilton, was fourth but will start ninth because of a five-grid penalty for a gear box change. Mark Webber of Red Bull, who was fifth but was given a three-grid penalty last week in China, will start seventh.
Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap 1. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m32.330s 2. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m32.584s + 0.254s 3. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m32.667s + 0.337s 4. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m32.762s + 0.432s 5. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m33.078s + 0.748s 6. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m33.207s + 0.877s 7. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m33.235s + 0.905s 8. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m33.246s + 0.916s 9. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m33.327s + 0.997s 10. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes Q2 cut-off time: 1m33.702s Gap ** 11. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m33.762s + 1.016s 12. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m33.914s + 1.168s 13. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m33.974s + 1.228s 14. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m33.976s + 1.230s 15. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m34.105s + 1.359s 16. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m34.284s + 1.538s Q1 cut-off time: 1m34.425s Gap * 17. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m34.425s + 1.547s 18. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m34.730s + 1.852s 19. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m35.283s + 2.405s 20. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m36.178s + 3.300s 21. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m36.304s + 3.426s 22. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m36.476s + 3.598s