Story highlights
Australian driver beats reigning world champion to pole for Sunday's Korean Grand Prix
McLaren's Lewis Hamilton will start race from third place; Fernando Alonso fourth for Ferrari
Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen finishes qualifying session in fifth; Michael Schumacher down in tenth place
Red Bull’s Mark Webber beat teammate Sebastian Vettel to pole position at the qualifying session for the Korean Grand Prix in Yeongam on Saturday.
The Australian grabbed first place on the grid – and his first pole since May’s Monaco Grand Prix – in the third and final qualifying session after Vettel had been quickest in the opening two.
McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton will start Sunday’s race in third while Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso is one place further back in fourth.
“Most qualifying sessions have been very tight and I’m very happy to get the job done today,” Webber said.
“It was a reasonable lap and we did it when it counted. Tomorrow is the main day and I’m in a good position to get a good result,” he added.
Webber is currently fifth in the drivers’ championship, 60 points adrift of leader Alonso.
Vettel, meanwhile, will be looking to heap further pressure on the Spaniard with another strong showing after winning the last two races in Singapore and Japan.
The 25-year-old German is now only four points behind Alonso with just five races remaining.
Vettel looked favorite to scoop his second consecutive pole but was held up by Felipe Massa in Q3 allowing Webber to steal in ahead of him.
“On the last run I had to back off starting the lap as Massa was there, it wasn’t his fault, but I had to back off. Nevertheless, the second lap in Q3 wasn’t good enough,” Vettel said.
Lotus’ Kimi Raikkonen will start from fifth while his teammate Romain Grosjean is two spots further back in seventh.
Felipe Massa starts Sunday’s race from sixth. Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg finished eighth while Mercedes’ drivers Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher make up the final two places in the top ten.