Playful Hamilton on pole, Rosberg disappointed

Hamilton reminded Ricciardo of the Australian’s “winner, victor chicken dinner” catchphrase and said he wanted to hear it on Sunday – but with the Red Bull driver one of those behind him and ahead of Rosberg. “I had more wins but that double points system could have just thrown everything into the pit when it wasn’t deserved”.

GRID: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull), Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari), Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari), Max Verstappen (Red Bull), Nico Hulkenberg (Force India), Sergio Perez (Force India), Fernando Alonso (McLaren), Felipe Massa (Williams). Rosberg, who now leads Hamilton in the world drivers’ championship by 12 points, put in a 1.39.058 lap for the second spot on the grid next to Hamilton.

“I’ll be proud of myself and what I’ve achieved as long as I feel I’ve given my all and performed at my best”.

Yet a victory on Sunday will not be enough for Hamilton who is being cheered on this weekend by his mother Carmen.

“No matter what happens tomorrow the vehicle which is leading the race or in a better position is going to have the strategy call and the priority because winning the race is our number one objective”, he said. “I’ve had a great week, relaxing and catching up with my family and friends, so I feel like I’m in a good place”.

IT: While I am not going to compare these two with Senna & Prost just yet, the rivalry between Lewis & Nico has captured everyone’s attention.

Rosberg added: “I came here to take pole and win the race and so I’m not ecstatic about today but Lewis did a great job”.

Hamilton claimed the 12th pole of the season and 61st of his grand prix career by a massive margin of 0.303 secs. But with one race left, it looks like he may have timed his title charge too late.

“We need to give them a auto that has pace, which we have seen today we were able to achieve, a reliable vehicle for tomorrow and a strategy that works for both”.

“We’ll give them a vehicle which has the pace, which today we were able to achieve and a strategy that works for both”. Verstappen finished sixth and will start on supersoft tires tomorrow, same as Ricciardo while the rest of the top ten starts on ultrasoft. “I am proud and happy about how this season has gone for me until now”.

Ricciardo, who will start the race on the marginally softer “super-soft” tyres instead of the “ultras” chosen by most of his rivals, said: “We’ve got to try something”.

Button, 36, said: “I am going to go out there and fight and have fun”.

Behind the meat of the outing, Hulkenberg, Perez, Alonso and Massa make up the rest of top ten, and Button will start 12th in what is nearly certainly his last ever Grand Prix.

In a series of spectacular drives, he has mixed aggression with precision and provocative blocking moves with outstanding skill to establish himself as a champion-in-waiting just six months after switching from perennial midfielders Toro Rosso to former champions Red Bull.