Nico Rosberg seized pole position for the Russian Formula One Grand Prix yesterday with world champion Lewis Hamilton joining his teammate on the front row in a perfect qualifying for Mercedes.

The pole was Rosberg’s third of the season with championship leader Hamilton, who is 48 points clear of the German with five races remaining, denied his 50th for the third race in succession.

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg waves to the crowd in Sochi.

Hamilton, who had hoped for his 12th pole in 15 races, aborted his second and final lap of the final phase after making a mistake on a clear afternoon in the Olympic Park.

The front row lockout was still just what Mercedes had ordered, with the team needing to score three points more than Ferrari to clinch their second successive constructors’ title this weekend.

Finland’s Valtteri Bottas qualified third for Williams with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen fourth and fifth.

Hamilton won last year’s inaugural race in Russia from pole, with Rosberg runner-up after also starting on the front row, but he could not get close to Rosberg’s time of one minute 37.113 seconds.

“We didn’t get much practice but qualifying worked out really well and a good balance on the car,” said the German.

“We had to guess a little bit...it all worked out well, I felt comfortable.

“Of course the constructors’ championship is a really important target for us this weekend, it would be amazing to clinch it for a second time so early on in the season, and so we are out to do that.

“At the same time of course I’m out here to reduce the gap to Lewis in terms of points.”

Friday’s two sessions, on a track that skirts around the 2014 Winter Olympic venues, were also limited due to a diesel spillage in the morning and rain through the afternoon.

“A difficult weekend I think for everyone but I think I did a great job with this lap,” said Hamilton. “I’m happy with the balance that I had.

“I think it’s great for the team. As you saw last year, this is actually not such a bad race from P2.”

Rosberg got alongside Hamilton at the start last year but made a mistake that sent him back to 20th place. The German then did 52 laps on one set of tyres and fought back to finish second.

Bottas set the fastest lap in that race and said it was good to be right behind the Mercedes pair, even if Brazilian team-mate Felipe Massa qualified only 15th.

Spanish driver Carlos Sainz is hoping to race in today’s race after being discharged from hospital following a big crash in final practice.

The 21-year-old rookie was fortunate to escape serious injury after his Toro Rosso slammed into, and under, the energy absorbing Tecpro barriers at about 200kph in Saturday’s session.

“My back and my neck are just a bit sore from the accident, but I’m totally ready,” he said in a team statement.

“Hopefully tomorrow I will wake up in a good shape and maybe I can try and race – this is definitely the intention.”

The accident ended practice and forced organisers to cancel a following GP3 race while extensive repairs were made to the barriers.

Toro Rosso initially said Sainz would be kept in hospital overnight but they issued a later statement to say he had been released.

Qualifying times at Russia GP