Championship leader Nico Rosberg grabbed pole position for the British Grand Prix from a crazy qualifying session at Silverstone to again put Lewis Hamilton in the shade.

Hamilton was on course for top spot on the grid approaching the dying stages of a wet-dry session until pipped at the post by Mercedes team-mate Rosberg, with Hamilton backing off on his final run to leave him down in sixth.

After mistakes in qualifying at the last two grands prix in Canada and Austria, on this occasion it appeared to be misjudgement that cost the Briton dear, and again leaves him playing catch up in the race to Rosberg.

Rosberg will be joined on the front row by Red Bull's four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel, with McLaren's Jenson Button third - for his highest grid position since the final race of 2012 in Brazil - for his home race.