Story highlights
Red Bull's Sebatian Vettel secures 13th pole of season at Indian GP qualifying
McLaren's Lewis Hamilton finishes second but pays three-place grid penalty
Webber elevated to front row of grid; Fernando Alonso starts Sunday's race in third
Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel will start from pole position at Sunday’s Indian Grand Prix after another impressive display in qualifying.
The newly-crowned world champion finished the final qualifying session 0.296 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton in his McLaren – although the Briton will start Sunday’s race in fifth place after incurring a three-place grid penalty during Friday’s practice session.
Vettel’s team mate Mark Webber who qualified third moves up to the front row of the grid while Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso will start Sunday’s race in third.
Vettel’s 13th pole of the season equals Ayrton Senna’s mark set during the 1988 season and leaves him one behind Nigel Mansel’s record of 14 pole positions set in 1992.
“I’m extremely happy and it’s good to be here. It will be a very interesting race on a challenging circuit,” Vettel said afterwards, BBC Sport reported.
“You have to really make sure you stay on the line and the circuit here is not forgiving mistakes. It’s not easy but I enjoy what I do and I was excited when I came here,” Vettel added, BBC Sport reported.
McLaren’s Jenson Button will start in fourth place, one ahead of Hamilton, with Ferrari’s Felipe Massa starting from sixth, ahead of Nico Rosberg in the Mercedes.
Michael Schumacher completed another disappointing qualifying finishing in 11th.
