Vettel edges out Hamilton to pole hattrick in Baku

BAKU: Ferrari’s Formula One championship leader Sebastian Vettel completed a pole position hat-trick on Saturday by beating title rival Lewis Hamilton to the top slot at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The German, nine points ahead of Mercedes’ reigning champion, will be hoping to convert his third pole in a row into a third victory in four races on Sunday.

Vettel pulled out a fastest lap of one minute 41.498 seconds, compared to the Briton’s 1:41.677, on the quick street circuit along the shores of the Caspian Sea and around the walled old town.

Hamilton’s Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas was third with Australian Daniel Ricciardo, winner of a chaotic race in Baku last year and in China two weekends ago, qualifying fourth for Red Bull on an overcast evening.

“I think it will be an intense race. Anything can happen here and safety cars are very likely,” said Vettel, who had struggled to break into the top 10 on Friday.

TEJASWIN SETS RECORD

NEW DELHI: India’s rising high jump star Tejaswin Shankar has set a national record, scaling 2.29m to better his previous mark of 2.28m achieved while winning the title at the Federation Cup athletics meet held at Patiala in March.

The Delhi jumper, who trains in the US, achieved the new standard while representing Kansas University in the Texas Tech Corky/crofoot Shootout competition in Lubbock on Friday. Tejaswin Shankar cleared 2.29m in his first attempt, finishing way ahead of the competition. Landon Bartel of Nebraska was second at 2.11m with Trey Culver of Texas Tech University third.