German rookie Nico Hulkenberg stunned Formula One’s title contenders by seizing pole position for Williams by a massive margin at the Brazilian Grand Prix on Saturday.
Title-chasing compatriot Sebastian Vettel was to start second yesterday for championship leaders Red Bull with Australian team mate and rival Mark Webber third next to McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton.
Ferrari’s overall leader Fernando Alonso, who could become the sport’s youngest triple world champion in what was forecast to be a dry race yesterday after a wet qualifying, will start fifth.
The Spaniard is 11 points ahead of Webber with two races remaining and 21 clear of Hamilton with Vettel a further four behind.
McLaren’s reigning world champion Jenson Button, who is 42 points adrift and must have won yesterday to have any chance of staying in the title hunt to the final race in Abu Dhabi, qualified a disappointing 11th.
Hulkenberg’s astonishing pole, his time more than one second quicker than Vettel on a drying track, was former champions Williams’ first since May 2005 and the first of the 23-year-old’s career.
“It’s amazing, I still can’t believe it,” said Hulkenberg, whose future at Williams is still unclear with the team making clear that commercial considerations will be a factor in their choice of drivers for next year.
“To go on slicks was obviously the right decision,” added the youngster, so unused to being in the limelight that he had to be guided through the post-qualifying news conference routine.
“Obviously, I know these guys are fighting for the championship so I don’t want to cause any trouble, but I also have to look for my own performance. We are also battling with Force India for sixth place in the constructors’ [standings],” Hulkenberg said.
“I’m sure we can manage it and I hope I can bring home some good points tomorrow,” added the German, who ended a run of eight poles in a row at the Interlagos circuit by native Spanish or Portuguese speakers.
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