Rosberg claims pole for US Grand Prix

AUSTIN, Texas: Germany’s Nico Rosberg put Mercedes on pole position for the US Formula One Grand Prix on Saturday with championship leading teammate Lewis Hamilton qualifying second.

Mercedes- powered Williams filled the second row with Finland’s Valtteri Bottas third fastest and Brazilian Felipe Massa fourth.

Hamilton leads Rosberg by 17 points with three races, and 100 points remaining. The Briton has won the last four grand prix and is chasing his 10th victory of the season.

If the pair finish one-two on Sunday, as looks more than likely, Mercedes will equal McLaren’s record of 10 in a season set with Alain Prost and the late Ayrton Senna.

The pole was the ninth of the season for Rosberg and 13th of his career.

“It worked out really well. Together with my engineers, I really arrived in qualifying with a car that I was really happy with,” said Rosberg.

“This morning, the conditions were quite different, a lot colder so the track was changing all the time. It wasn’t that easy to get everything right.

“First place today is awesome, but the race is what counts, so I need to fully focus on tomorrow and try and bring it home,” added the German

Hamilton, who had been quickest in all three practice sessions and the first phase of qualifying, had tire and brake issues when it mattered most and expressed some concern for Sunday.

That race comes on the sixth anniversary of his 2008 world championship triumph in Brazil.