Nico Rosberg takes pole for 2015 Brazilian Grand Prix
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg today took pole position for tomorrow's 2015 Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos, making it his fifth pole in a row. Lewis Hamilton was second fastest. Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel rounded up the top three.
German driver Rosberg lapped the track at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in Sao Paulo in 1:11.282.
His teammate Lewis Hamilton was second fastest, a mere .078 of a second slower. Despite being faster in the earlier parts of qualifying, the newly crowned world champion couldn't beat his teammate on the third qualifying lap.
Sebastian Vettel took third spot for Ferrari, lapping four tenths of a second slower than the Mercedes cars.
Williams's Valtteri Bottas took fourth place with a time of 1:12.085. He isn't to start in fourth place though, as he faces a three place grid penalty following an incident during free practice.
Fellow Finn Kimi Räikkönen in the second Ferrari was in fifth place. As a result of his countryman's penalty he is to start in fourth place after his teammate. Force India's Nico Hulkenberg set the sixth fastest time of the session, while Red Bull drivers Daniil Kvyat and Daniel Ricciardo finished seventh and ninth respectively.
Australian Ricciardo also faced a grid penalty, as an engine change causes him to start tomorrow's race ten places further back. Eighth place went to local hero Felipe Massa in his Williams. Eighteen-year-old Toro Rosso driver Max Verstappen finished in an impressive tenth position.
Sources
- Pablo Elizalde. "Brazilian GP: Rosberg beats Hamilton to grab fifth straight pole" — motorsport.com, November 14, 2015
- Ben Anderson. "Brazilian GP: Nico Rosberg extends F1 pole streak at Interlagos" — Autosport, November 14, 2015