Nico Rosberg denied Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton a hat-trick of successive pole positions to clinch top spot on the grid for today’s night-time Bahrain Grand Prix (start: 17.00 Malta time).

After clinching victory in last Sunday’s race in Malaysia, Hamilton proceeded to dominate all three practice sessions in Bahrain, with Rosberg playing second fiddle.

But come qualifying at the Bahrain International Circuit it was the current championship leader who took the spotlight by grabbing his first pole position since last May’s Monaco Grand Prix.

The setting was at least spectacular, with the circuit lit by 5,000 luminaries arranged on 495 poles ranging in height from ten to 45 metres.

So far Mercedes have lit up the track on their own with blistering pace none of their rivals have been able to come close to.

Hamilton, however, made a mistake on his final run, locking up at one point and handing the initiative to Rosberg, who claimed pole for the second consecutive time at this track.

Behind the Mercedes duo it was Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo who took third, however the Australian faces a 10-place grid penalty following an unsafe release from a pit stop in Malaysia and will start 13th.

It means all those drivers from fourth to 13th will move up a place, spearheaded by Williams’s Valtteri Bottas, with Sergio Perez a superb fifth in qualifying in his Force India.

Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen and Jenson Button, in his McLaren, were next up, followed by Felipe Massa in his Williams and the second McLaren and Ferrari of rookie Kevin Magnussen and Fernando Alonso respectively.

A major surprise saw Sebastian Vettel fail to make the top 10 for the second time this season, and just a week after qualifying on the front row at Malaysia, albeit with the inclement conditions aiding his cause.

Vettel, however, finished four tenths of a second adrift of team-mate Ricciardo at the end of the second session, missing out on a place in the top 10 to Raikkonen by just 0.060secs.

The 26-year-old German could only qualify 11th, with Nico Hulkenberg 12th in his Force India, followed by Toro Rosso duo Daniel Kvyat and Jean-Eric Vergne, with Sauber’s Esteban Gutierrez 15th.

It has been 16 races since Rosberg, winner of the season-opening race in Australia, was last on pole.

He said: “It has just worked well through the weekend, finding my way, making progress and getting through some issues.

“The challenge this weekend is that in free practice we ran in such hot conditions, and we sort of had to guess for the cold conditions (for qualifying).

“But it worked out well. I felt comfortable and got my laps together, so I’m very happy.

“I have good memories of this track, winning the GP2 championship and starting my first race in Formula One.

“I enjoy coming here and again, today, it’s suited me.”

Today’s grid in Bahrain

1. Rosberg (Mercedes) - 1:33.185
2. Hamilton (Mercedes) - 1:33.464
3. Ricciardo (Red Bull) - 1:34.051
4. Bottas (Williams) - 1:34.247
5. Perez (Force India) - 1:34.346
6. Raikkonen (Ferrari) - 1:34.368
7. Button (McLaren) - 1:34.387
8. Massa (Williams) - 1:34.511
9. Magnussen (McLaren) - 1:34.712
10. Alonso (Ferrari) - 1:34.992
11. Vettel (Red Bull) - 1:34.985
12. Hulkenberg (F. India) - 1:35.116
13. Kvyat (Toro Rosso) - 1:35.145
14. Vergne (Toro Rosso) - 1:35.286
15. Gutierrez (Sauber) - 1:35.891
16. Grosjean (Lotus) - 1:35.908
17. Maldonado (Lotus) - 1:36.663
18. Sutil (Sauber) - 1:36.840
19. Kobayashi (Caterham) - 1:37.085
20. Bianchi (Marussia) - 1:37.310
21. Ericsson (Caterham) - 1:37.875
22. Chilton (Marussia) - 1:37.913

Note: Ricciardo to start from 13th to serve a 10-place grid penalty.

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