Vettel starts on pole ahead of team-mate

Sunday 17th March 2013, 00:44 by TF1T Staff 

© Red Bull Racing, Getty Images

Sebastian Vettel will start the Australian Grand Prix in pole position after a challenging qualifying session which lasted a total of 18 hours due to heavy downpours leading to its postponement.

The German starts ahead of his team-mate, Mark Webber, with the pair dominating the final few laps, run in the dry, to stay clear of the remaining 20 cars behind.

Mercedes proved their testing pace wasn't just showboating as Lewis Hamilton popped up in third, just over six tenths slower than Vettel. Meanwhile his team-mate Nico Rosberg, who had led Q1 and Q2, managed sixth, to sandwich the Ferraris in fourth and fifth.

It was a difficult session for McLaren who made an early switch to slick tyres in Q2, which would prove the wrong decision. However Jenson Button realised the error, unlike his team-mate, and made the switch back to intermediates and managed to secure P10. Perez starts P15.

Qualifying - 2013 Australian Grand Prix

#Driver Team Q1Q2Q3
01 S. Vettel Red Bull 1:44.657 1:36.745 1:27.407
02 M. Webber Red Bull 1:44.472 1:36.524 1:27.827
10 J. Button McLaren 1:44.688 1:36.644 1:30.357
15 S. Perez McLaren 1:44.300 1:39.900
08 R. Grosjean Lotus 1:44.284 1:37.641 1:29.013
06 N. Rosberg Mercedes 1:43.380 1:36.194 1:28.523
05 F. Alonso Ferrari 1:43.850 1:36.691 1:28.493
07 K. Räikkönen Lotus 1:45.545 1:37.517 1:28.738
03 L. Hamilton Mercedes 1:45.456 1:36.625 1:28.087
11 N. Hulkenberg Sauber 1:45.930 1:38.067  
04 F. Massa Ferrari 1:44.635 1:36.666 1:28.490
09 P. di Resta Force India 1:45.601 1:36.901 1:29.305
12 A. Sutil Force India 1:47.330 1:38.134  
16 V. Bottas Williams 1:47.328 1:40.290  
13 J-E. Vergne Toro Rosso 1:44.871 1:38.778
14 D. Ricciardo Toro Rosso 1:46.450 1:38.915  
17 P. Maldonado Williams 1:47.614
 
18 E. Gutierrez Sauber 1:47.776
 
19 J. Bianchi Marussia 1:48.147    
20 M. Chilton Marussia 1:48.909    
21 G. van der Garde Caterham 1:49.519    
22 C. Pic Caterham 1:50.626    
Q1 107% Time: 1:50.616

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