Vettel claims pole for European GP

VALENCIA: Sebastial Vettel led teammate Mark Webber to give Red Bull a one-two starting position in the European Granx Prix which takes place today with the Valencia pole being Vettel’s fourth this season.

Vettel set a time of one minute and 37.587 seconds as Australian Webber completed the one-two for the team who have now collected eight pole positions in nine races.

Lewis Hamilton will start in third ahead of Ferrari drivers Spaniard Fernando Alonso and Brazilian Felipe Massa. Pole Robert Kubica will start in sixth followed by Briton Jenson Button in the second McLaren.

Kubica was quickest in the 20-minute Q1 opening session which saw the three ‘new’ teams eliminated along with Japanese Kamui Kobayashi of Sauber.

Vettel was quickest in Q2 while Michael Schumacher was again out-paced by team-mate and fellow German Nico Rosberg and failed to make the top ten for the second time this season and will start in 15th, his worst qualifying position since his return to the sport.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 27^th, 2010.