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  Formula One: Nico Rosberg takes pole in Baku

Formula One: Nico Rosberg takes pole in Baku

AFP
Published : Jun 19, 2016, 12:31 am IST
Updated : Jun 19, 2016, 12:31 am IST

Nico Rosberg will start on pole for the inaugural European Grand Prix in Baku with his Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton only 10th after a calamitous qualifying session on the tricky street circuit on

Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg gestures after taking pole for Sunday’s European GP in Baku on Saturday. (Photo: AP)
 Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg gestures after taking pole for Sunday’s European GP in Baku on Saturday. (Photo: AP)

Nico Rosberg will start on pole for the inaugural European Grand Prix in Baku with his Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton only 10th after a calamitous qualifying session on the tricky street circuit on Saturday.

Hamilton was quickest in all three practice sessions but the world champion had an error-strewn qualifying culminating in him crashing his Mercedes in Q3.

Rosberg took full advantage of Hamilton’s misfortune. The championship-leading German clipped the wall on his fastest lap in Q3 on his way to a lap in one minute and 42.758 seconds after Hamilton did the same, but more severely in the track’s narrowest section, damaging his front right tyre.

Hamilton was forced to pull up and, as he walked away, the session was red-flagged to a halt with two minutes remaining as marshals cleared the debris.

“I couldn’t tell you what the possibilities are for tomorrow,” he said.

Rosberg, understandably, was happier. “It was great,” he said. “That was one of the more challenging sessions out there, but everything worked out well.

When the action resumed, Sergio Perez wound up second fastest for Force India, but the Mexican will start from seventh after picking up a five-place penalty for a gearbox change after crashing in the final free practice.

Location: Azerbaijan, Baki, Baku