Championship-chasing Sebastian Vettel nabbed his 11th pole position of the season yesterday as his powerful Red Bull team secured a front-row lockout for the Singapore Grand Prix.
The 24-year-old dominated the floodlit night session as Red Bull extended their supremacy with their 14th successive pole, a remarkable record that has given Vettel a good chance to retain his title in the 61-lap race today.
His Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber was second fastest thanks to a last-gasp lap of a competitive and tense session that featured a red flag interruption, accidents and punctures at the Marina Bay circuit.
Vettel’s pole was the 26th of his career as he seeks to become the youngest double champion in Formula One history – a feat he can achieve if he wins in Singapore and nearest rival Fernando Alonso fails to finish on the podium.
Red Bull team chief Christian Horner said their team was not even thinking about titles or celebrations.
“Yes, it’s mathematically possible for him to win the world title here, but we’re not thinking about it,” said Horner.
“Our job is to optimise performance and try to win the race. The rest we can’t control.
“The moon and stars have got to line up. We haven’t booked anything for a party should we win. We’re focused on the race.
“Yes, we’re good at parties, but if anything does happen, it’ll be very spontaneous.”
Spaniard Alonso qualified fifth for Ferrari yesterday behind the two McLarens of Britons Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton, the 2009 and 2008 world champions respectively, who will line up in third and fourth places on the grid.
Alonso’s Ferrari team-mate Brazilian Felipe Massa was sixth ahead of German Nico Rosberg and his Mercedes team-mate and seven-time champion Michael Schumacher, 42.
On another steaming hot night, the qualifying session began at 10:00pm Singapore time under dazzling floodlights with the temperature hovering around 32 degrees Celsius and 67 per cent humidity.
If it was taxing for a sell-out 75,000 crowd – the spectators perspiring around Marina Bay – it was a harsh test of fitness for the drivers and their teams ahead of today’s race.
Today’s grid in Singapore
1. Vettel (Red Bull) - 1:44.381
2. Webber (Red Bull) - 1:44.732
3. Button (McLaren) - 1:44.804
4. Hamilton (McLaren) - 1:44.809
5. Alonso (Ferrari) - 1:44.874
6. Massa (Ferrari) - 1:45.800
7. Rosberg (Mercedes) - 1:46.013
8. Schumacher (Mercedes) - no time
9. Sutil (Force India) - no time
10. Di Resta (Force India) - no time
11. Perez (Sauber) - 1:47.616
12. Barrichello (Williams) - 1:48.082
13. Maldonado (Williams) - 1:48.270
14. Buemi (Toro Rosso) - 1:48.634
15. Senna (Lotus-Renault) - 1:48.662
16. Alguersuari (Toro Rosso) - 1:49.862
17. Kobayashi (Sauber) - no time
18. Petrov (Lotus-Renault) - 1:49.835
19. Kovalainen (Team Lotus) - 1:50.948
20. Trulli (Team Lotus) - 1:51.012
21. Ricciardo (Hispania) - 1:52.154
22. Liuzzi (Hispania) - 1:52.363
23. Glock (Virgin) - 1:52.404
24. D’Ambrosio (Virgin) - 1:52.810