Germany’s Nico Rosberg took a controversial pole position at the Monaco Grand Prix yesterday after an incident that denied unhappy Mercedes team-mate and championship leader Lewis Hamilton the chance to beat him.

Formula One stewards summoned Mercedes to a hearing afterwards but, after reviewing video evidence, decided no offence had been committed.

The German had locked-up on the way into Mirabeau during the key final seconds of qualifying and skidded down the escape road, bringing out yellow warning flags that forced other drivers to slow.

The excursion, with Rosberg then putting the car into reverse, came just as Hamilton – behind him on the track – was on his final quick lap.

Hamilton, winner of the last four races but never before on pole in the principality, had been faster through the first sector but had to settle for second place on the grid for the season’s showcase race.

“I’m happy it worked out. Pole at home is fantastic – it couldn’t be better,” a smiling Rosberg, last year’s winner from pole and Hamilton’s closest title rival, told reporters.

“I’m sorry for what happened to Lewis. I didn’t know where exactly he was. But once I was reversing I didn’t see who was coming up. Of course, it’s not great, but that’s the way it is.”

Hamilton, a forced smile on his face at the post-qualifying media call, said it was ‘ironic’ for his rival to secure pole in such a fashion.

Speaking later to the BBC, the Briton went further.

Asked whether he felt Rosberg had done it on purpose, he replied: “potentially”.

However, Mercedes motorsport director Toto Wolff rejected that: “I don’t think anybody does that deliberately in modern Formula One,” he told reporters.

The incident nonetheless revived memories of Michael Schumacher’s infamous 2006 pole lap when he blocked the Rascasse corner and prevented Renault’s Fernando Alonso from going faster.

On that occasion, the Ferrari driver was sent to the back of the grid for an ‘incorrect action’.

Hamilton, who said only days ago he was hungrier than his team-mate for the title, has a three-point lead after five races, all won by Mercedes who have also started all from pole.

With Mercedes so dominant, the driver pairing is the talk of Formula One with all eyes watching for signs of their intense rivalry shifting up a gear into open feuding.

Daniel Ricciardo will start in third place, the clean side of the track, for Red Bull with quadruple world champion team-mate Sebastian Vettel alongside.

The Ferrari pairing of Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen filled the third row.

The stewards were given more work on an eventful afternoon.

Felipe Massa was furious when Caterham’s Swedish rookie Marcus Ericsson rammed his Williams at Mirabeau in an incident that meant he missed the second phase and qualified 16th.

“I gave him the space and he went over my car. I don’t know what more there is to say. The race will be very tough. I feel disappointed,” said the Brazilian.

Ericsson was ordered to start from the pit lane and handed two penalty points.

Russian rookie Daniil Kvyat, who qualified an impressive ninth for Toro Rosso despite skidding into the barriers at the tunnel exit in the first phase of qualifying, was reprimanded for impeding the Lotus of Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado.

Today’s grid at Circuit de Monaco