Sochi, Russia (dpa) – Nico Rosberg stormed to pole position for the Russian Formula One Grand Prix without much competition on Saturday after Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton was stopped again by a power unit failure.
Hamilton’s latest misfortune will make him start from 10th place on the grid at best, and with the second best qualifier Sebastian Vettel demoted five places on the grid Sunday because of a gearbox change in his Ferrari, the door appears wide open for another Rosberg win.
«It is not an easy track to overtake but there are long straights.
Time will tell,» Hamilton admitted.
The German has won the first three races of the season for an overall total of six straight wins, managing to stay out of trouble as all his rivals have suffered setbacks in one way or another.
He clocked 1 minute 35.417 seconds on the 5.848-kilometres course in Sochi’s Olympic Park on Saturday for his second straight pole and 24th overall, making him joint 10th in the all-time list.
Rosberg was more than seven tenths ahead of Vettel (1:36.123), and more than a second clear of Valtteri Bottas of Williams (1:36.536), who will start alongside him from the first row on Sunday.
Hamilton was unable to compete in the final round of qualifying after the power unit failed just as it had in the first round of qualifying in China two weeks ago.
He had to start from last place on the grid in Shanghai after a power unit change and finished the race seventh. The faulty unit was throughly checked and used again Saturday, only to fail again.
It was the latest blow for Hamilton who trails Rosberg by 36 points in the championship.
Mercedes motorsport chief Toto Wolff spoke of «a very bizarre situation» as they team pledged to sort out the problem for Sunday, mainly hoping that another change isn’t needed as that would see Hamilton plunge even further down on the grid.
Wolff said that Hamilton «has every right to be upset» and admitted «he seems to have all the bad luck and the other side of the garage has all the luck.»
Rosberg said that «my race is a little easier tomorrow» with Vettel and Hamilton not breathing down his neck at the start, but warned that victory is not a foregone conclusion.
«The opposition are still there and I need to focus and get the job done,» the German said.
Vettel meanwhile said «I would like the gap to be smaller» but remains hopeful, saying the car was good.
Kimi Raikkonen will start from third on the grid, ahead of Felipe Massa in the second Williams, Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo, while Sergio Perez of Force India is also ahead of Vettel.
