Lewis Hamilton ended Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel's run of consecutive pole positions as he topped qualifying for the Korean Grand Prix this morning.

In dry conditions, the McLaren driver beat the German ace into second place on the grid, with Hamilton's teammate Jenson Button in third and Mark Webber fourth. Ferrari's Massa and Alonso were next.

Hamilton, who was quickest throughout the qualifying hour, clocked a fastest lap of one minute and 35.820 seconds on his second flying run around the Korean International Circuit to leave Vettel chasing a time he could not match.

This was the first time this season that Red Bull had not grabbed pole, but the team appeared to be saving tyres for the race, adopting an unusual tacting of using super softs for the first qualifying round, preserving a set of softs.

THE GRID

1st row

Lewis Hamilton (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes)

Sebastian Vettel (GER/Red Bull-Renault)

2nd row

Jenson Button (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes)

Mark Webber (AUS/Red Bull-Renault)

3rd row

Felipe Massa (BRA/Ferrari)

Fernando Alonso (ESP/Ferrari)

4th row

Nico Rosberg (GER/Mercedes)

Vitaly Petrov (RUS/Lotus-Renault)

5th row

Paul di Resta (SCO/Force India-Mercedes)

Adrian Sutil (GER/Force India-Mercedes)

6th row

Jaime Alguersuari (ESP/Toro Rosso-Ferrari)

Michael Schumacher (GER/Mercedes)

7th row

Sebastien Buemi (SWI/Toro Rosso-Ferrari)

Kamui Kobayashi (JPN/Sauber-Ferrari)

8th row

Bruno Senna (BRA/Lotus-Renault)

Pastor Maldonado (VEN/Williams-Cosworth)

9th row

Sergio Perez (MEX/Sauber-Ferrari)

Rubens Barrichello (BRA/Williams-Cosworth)

10th row

Heikki Kovalainen (FIN/Team Lotus)

Jarno Trulli (ITA/Team Lotus)

11th row

Timo Glock (GER/Virgin-Cosworth)

Jerome d'Ambrosio (BEL/Virgin-Cosworth)

12th row

Vitantonio Liuzzi (ITA/Hispania-Cosworth)

Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Hispania-Cosworth)