Chinese Grand Prix: Hamilton sets British record with pole

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton showed his mastery in the wet to chalk up his third pole position in four races in Chinese Grand Prix qualifying on Saturday.

The Briton’s best time of one minute 53.860 seconds through rain and spray was a hefty 0.595 of a second quicker than Red Bull’s Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who joined him on the front row.

Red Bull’s quadruple Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel was third fastest, but more than a second slower than Hamilton.

Championship leader Nico Rosberg, who had been on pole in the previous Bahrain Grand Prix, completed the second row for Mercedes after running wide on his second lap and then spinning on his final flying lap.

Hamilton’s pole, the 34th of the 2008 world champion’s career, was a record for a British driver - one more than the late Jim Clark managed in the 1960s.

“It is so slippery out there, the conditions - trying to find the grip, not making mistakes on your lap and really putting it together,” said Hamilton, who will be chasing his third win in a row on Sunday.

“It was a tough session. I really enjoyed it. The car was feeling great. I hope that we can follow through tomorrow.”

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, last year’s winner in China, starts fifth with former team mate Felipe Massa sixth for Williams in his best qualifying of the season so far.

Rosberg, winner of the season-opener in Australia, said he had been struggling with the brakes in the final phase of qualifying but was “generally not quick enough today.”

Reuters