31 July,2016 10:43 AM IST | | Abhishek Takle
Nico Rosberg kept his cool under pressure in the dying minutes of qualifying to seize pole position for his home German Grand Prix here yesterday.
Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg
Hockenheim (Germany): Nico Rosberg kept his cool under pressure in the dying minutes of qualifying to seize pole position for his home German Grand Prix on Saturday.
Rosberg set a benchmark time of one minute 14.363 seconds on a warm and sunny day at the 4.5 kilometre-long Hockenheim circuit, 0.107 seconds quicker than team-mate and title-rival Lewis Hamilton, who completed a front-row lockout on a dominant day for Mercedes.
Rosberg got just one shot at pole, however, after he was forced to abort his initial run in the final part of qualifying due to an electronic error that led to his throttle cutting out.
Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg (centre) along with Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo (left) and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton after the qualifying session of the German GP at the Hockenheim circuit yesterday. pic/AFP
Electronic failure
Rosberg got just one shot at pole, however, after he was forced to abort his initial run in the final part of qualifying due to an electronic error that led to his throttle cutting out.
"Not only was it just one lap that I had but I also had extra fuel to make sure that I would have an extra shot if a mistake or something happens," said Rosberg after the session.
"So that was some more time in the bag there, so I was really satisfied with that one, that was really cool."
Yesterday's pole was the 27th of Rosberg's career and fifth of the season so far. It also gave Mercedes their 47th pole from 50 races. The German marque, also competing in their home race this weekend, has started all but one race this season from pole.
Rosberg heads into the weekend trailing Hamilton by six points in the standings. The German lost the overall lead at the last race in Hungary after finishing second to the Briton who raced to an unprecedented fifth win there.
Determined to reassert himself over his former childhood friend, Rosberg set the pace in each of the weekend's three practice sessions.
Hamilton turned the tables by going fastest in the opening two phases of qualifying but couldn't get it together when it really mattered.
"I had the pace today, I just didn't finish it off in the last lap," said Hamilton who locked up on his final flier and was visibly gutted.
Daniel Ricciardo took third ahead of team-mate Max Verstappen on an all-Red Bull second row.
Kimi Raikkonen was fifth, beating team-mate Sebastian Vettel who, on his first appearance on home soil as a Ferrari driver, was a disappointing sixth.
Force India's Nico Hulkenberg was seventh ahead of Valtteri Bottas in the Williams and team-mate Sergio Perez. Felipe Massa in the second Williams rounded out the top-ten.
