Nico Rosberg claims his fifth consecutive Pole Position of the season at the Brazilian GP

In qualifying for the Brazilian GP yesterday, Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg claimed the twenty-first Pole Position of his career ahead of his team mate in a session where the two Mercedes drivers were pushing each other straight from the beginning of qualifying.

During Q1, Fernando Alonso was told to stop immediately by his team to stop with an engine problem in Sector 2. This then brought out the yellow flags as the McLaren-Honda was safely removed from the track.

During Q2, both of the McLaren-Honda drivers of Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso went onto the Interlagos podium together to wave to the fans and showing a glimpse of what could be the future; providing that McLaren and Honda work out their existing issues together as quickly as possible.

We also saw in Q2 Romain Grosjean spinning off the track after suffering some understeer on his Lotus but was able to continue in the session after gaining control of the car.

But it was Nico Rosberg who claimed his fifth consecutive Pole Position (sixth of the season) for the Brazilian GP with a lap time of 1.11.282 ahead of his team mate Lewis Hamilton in second place who was 0.078 seconds behind him but was ahead of Sebastian Vettel who finished in third place who was 0.522 seconds behind the Mercedes of Rosberg.

Valtteri Bottas qualified in fourth place (but will have to take a three place grid penalty) ahead of Kimi Raikkonen in fifth place, Nico Hulkenberg in sixth place and Daniil Kvyat in seventh place. Local driver Felipe Massa ended the session in eighth place ahead of Daniel Ricciardo in ninth place and Max Verstappen who rounds off the top ten finishers.

Local driver Felipe Nasr qualified for the Brazilian GP in eleventh place ahead of Carlos Sainz Jr in twelfth place, Sergio Perez in thirteenth place, Marcus Ericsson in fourteenth place and ahead of Romain Grosjean in fifteenth place. As we head into the latter stages of the grid, Pastor Maldonado finished in sixteenth place ahead of Jenson Button in seventeenth place, Alexander Rossi in eighteenth place and Will Stevens in nineteenth place. Fernando Alonso did not take part in qualifying.

The classification of Qualifying for the Brazilian GP is as follows:-

1. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, 1.11.282
2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 0.078s
3. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, 0.522s
4. Valtteri Bottas, Williams-Mercedes, 0.803s*
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 0.862s
6. Nico Hulkenberg, Force India-Mercedes, 0.983s
7. Daniil Kvyat, Red Bull Renault, 1.040s
8. Felipe Massa, Williams-Mercedes, 1.133s
9. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull-Renault, 1.135s
10. Max Verstappen, Toro Rosso, 1.457s
11. Felipe Nasr, Sauber-Ferrari, 1.12.989
12. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso, 1.13.045
13. Sergio Perez, Force India-Mercedes, 1.13.147
14. Marcus Ericsson, Sauber-Ferrari, 1.13.233
15. Romain Grosjean, Lotus-Mercedes, 1.13.913
16. Pastor Maldonado, Lotus-Mercedes, 1.13.385
17. Jenson Button, McLaren-Honda, 1.13.425
18. Alexander Rossi, Manor, 1.16.151
19. Will Stevens, Manor, 1.16.283
[NB. Fernando Alonso did not run in qualifying]
[*- Valtteri Bottas will receive a three place grid penalty]

Sarah Jones- @jonesy_laaa