F1: Vettel Steals The Pole For Bahrain GP

Formula 1

F1: Vettel Steals The Pole For Bahrain GP

Sebastian Vettel will have the best view to start in Bahrain Sunday...

SPEED Staff | Posted March 13, 2010 Sakhir (BHR)

Sebastian Vettel won the pole in Bahrain Saturday. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Sebastian Vettel has started the 2010 season out in fine fashion winning the pole for the season opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

Vettel stole the top spot on his final lap during qualifying Saturday relegating Felipe Massa in a Ferrari to second.

Massa and teammate Fernando Alonso had swapped the top two spots for most of Q3, but Vettel saved his best for last.

Lewis Hamilton recovered from a problem during the first practice earlier in the day to grab fourth. He will be followed by Nico Rosberg who has had the fastest car for the Mercedes team all weekend. Mark Webber will start sixth in the second Red Bull car ahead of Michael Schumacher who will roll off seventh in his first Grand Prix since 2006.

Defending world champion Jenson Button will start eighth, Robert Kubica will make his Renault F1 debut in ninth and Force India’s Adrian Sutil rounds out the top 10.

In Q2 Alonso set the fastest time, a 1:54.612, followed by Sebastian Vettel, Adrian Sutil, Mark Webber, and Massa in fifth

Lewis Hamilton was sixth with Nico Rosberg seventh.

Jenson Button was able squeak into Q3 knocking Rubens Barrichello out of the tenth spot on his final laps. Michael Schumacher was ninth.

Behind Barrichello, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Nico Hulkenberg, Pedro de la Rosa, Sebastian Buemi, Kamui Kobayashi and Vitaly Petrov were eliminated.

At the end of Q1, there weren’t any surprises as all six cars from the three new teams failed to advance. They were joined by Toro Rosso driver Jamie Alguersuari who was knocked out by Kobayashi in the final moments.

The best news of the weekend for the HRT F1 team came during Q1 when Karun Chandhok was finally able to take his new car on the track for the first time all weekend. After some questions as to whether he would even be able to race this weekend, Chandhok will start dead last.

QUALIFYING RESULTS 2010 FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX

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