24 August,2014 05:47 AM IST | | AFP
German races to his fourth consecutive pole in treacherous conditions at Belgium
Mercedes' Nico Rosberg drives during qualifying at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images.
Spa: World championship leader Nico Rosberg secured his fourth pole position in succession on Saturday when he topped the times ahead of his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton in a tense and wet qualifying session for today's Belgian Grand Prix.
Mercedes' Nico Rosberg drives during qualifying at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images.
The 29-year-old German clocked a best lap of two minutes and 5.698 seconds to outpace his British partner in treacherous and capricious conditions at the sprawling 7.004-km circuit in the forests of the Belgian Ardennes.
Hamilton struggled with his brakes and handling in the slippery conditions, but will start alongside Rosberg on the front row as he seeks to trim his 11 points lead in the drivers' championship with eight races remaining.
Sebastian Vettel
Rosberg's success secured his 11th career pole and his seventh this season. It was the Mercedes team's first front row lockout since the Canadian Grand Prix in June, five races previously.
For Rosberg, it also brought his first top three qualifying result in Belgium in eight attempts. Behind the two Mercedes, defending four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Germany was third fastest for Red Bull ahead of Fernando Alonso of Ferrari and fifth placed Daniel Ricciardo.
