Nico Rosberg snags pole position for Spanish Grand Prix

Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg sealed pole position for Sunday’s Spanish moter racing Grand Prix after clocking best time ahead of his team-mate Lewis Hamilton in qualifying on Saturday.  

German driver Nico Rosberg. Reuters/Stefano Rellandini

The 29-year-old German set the fastest lap in one minute and 24.681 seconds, speeding past the reigning world champion by three-tenths of a second and putting him in second place on Sunday’s grid.

Rosberg’s lap at the Circuit de Catalunya beat Hamilton’s 2014 pole time and finished off the 30-year-old Briton’s hold of four consecutive pole positions so far this season.

"Strategy is important," said Rosberg, who has won 13 races since his home German Grand Prix victory last year. "It's a big advantage to have new set of used tyres for the race."

As he gears up to take the front seat on Sunday, Rosberg also said that overtaking is more difficult so securing pole position is an added advantage.

Meanwhile, Hamilton said he did not have the right pace.

"Nico did a great job. I didn't have the balance where I liked," Hamilton said. "Tomorrow there's still a lot to play for."

Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel was the only other driver to come within a second of compatriot Rosberg as the Ferrari driver came in third.

Finland's Valtteri Bottas finished fourth in his Williams as he finished with a minute and 25.8 seconds.

Toro Rosso duo Carlos Sainz and Belgian-Dutch Max Verstappen will start at fifth and sixth positions after beating out both the Red Bull cars.

Kimi Raikkonen will appear next in the second Ferrari, with Kvyat, Massa and Ricciardo rounding out the top ten for the Spanish Grand Prix.