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Sao Paulo, Brazil - German rookie Nico Hulkenberg stunned Formula 1's title contenders on Saturday by seizing pole position for Williams by a wide margin ahead of the 2010 Brazilian GP.
Title-chasing compatriot Sebastian Vettel will start second on Sunday 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 on Sunday, qualified fifth.
SIMPLY ASTONISHING
The Spaniard is 11 points ahead of Webber with two races remaining, 21 clear of Hamilton with Vettel a further four behind. McLaren's reigning World champion Jenson Button, who is 42 points back and must win on Sunday 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 a 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.
The Cosworth-powered team last won a race in 2004 with Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya at the same Interlagos circuit. Germany's Nick Heidfeld, at the Nurburgring, was its last driver on pole.
'SLICKS THE RIGHT DECISION'
"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 2011.
"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 media 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're also battling with Force India for sixth place in the Constructors' standings.
"I'm sure we can manage it and I hope I can bring home some good points tomorrow.”
He ended a run of eight poles in a row at Interlagos by native Spanish or Portuguese speakers.
'NICO WAS BETTER...'
Vettel, who has taken nine poles this season, was as surprised as anyone to be beaten by a driver who has scored only 18 points this season and never qualified higher than fifth.
"At first I thought I had missed pole by a tenth," he said. "Then I saw there was another digit. Nico was better than all of us today."
Webber said it was a very challenging session: "It was really, really tricky to get clean laps and I did my absolute best," he said. "I'm in a good position to start the race and it's a long one... congratulations to Nico, he made all of us look pretty average today."
2010 Brazilian Grand Prix provisional qualifying
1 Nico Hulkenberg (Germany) Williams 1min 14.470
2 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) RedBull 1min15.519
3 Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull 1min15.637
4 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min15.747
5 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min15.989
6 Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Williams 1min16.203
7 Robert Kubica (Poland) Renault 1min16.552
8 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min16.925
9 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min17.101
10 Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Renault 1min17.656
11 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min19.288
12 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) BMW Sauber 1min19.385
13 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min19.486
14 Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) Toro Rosso 1min19.581
15 Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso 1min19.847
16 Nick Heidfeld (Germany) BMW Sauber 1min19.899
17 Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) Force India 1min20.357
18 Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India 1min20.830
19 Timo Glock (Germany) Virgin 1min22.130
20 Jarno Trulli (Italy) Lotus 1min22.250
21 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Lotus 1min22.378
22 Lucas Di Grassi (Brazil) Virgin 1min22.810
23 Christian Klien (Austria) HRT 1min23.083
24 Bruno Senna (Brazil) HRT 1min23.796
FINAL PRACTICE AT INTERLAGOS
Renault's Robert Kubica kept Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel off the top of the time sheets in a wet final practice for the potentially title-deciding Brazilian GP on Saturday.
The Pole lapped the undulating anti-clockwise Interlagos circuit in 1min19.191 with Vettel's best lap 0.309 slower. Vettel, fourth in the championship and one of five contenders for the F1 title with one race remaining after Brazil, had been quickest in both Friday sessions.
McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, experimenting with different rear wings in a search for more performance, was third-fastest ahead of Ferrari pair Brazilian Felipe Massa and championship leader Fernando Alonso.
Alonso can become the sport's youngest triple champion on Sunday if results go his way.
Third and final free practice times ahead of the 2010 Brazilian GP
1 Robert Kubica (Poland) Renault 1min19.19
2 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 1min19.500
3 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min19.536
4 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min19.735
5 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min19.791
6 Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Renault 1min19.887
7 Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso 1min20.009
8 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min20.056
9 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min20.164
10 Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Williams 1min20.320
11 Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1min20.337
12 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min20.421
13 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) BMW 1min20.452
14 Nico Hulkenberg (Germany) Williams 1min20.535
15 Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) Toro Rosso 1min20.541
16 Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) Force India 1min20.546
17 Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India 1min20.613
18 Nick Heidfeld (Germany) BMW 1min20.985
19 Jarno Trulli (Italy) Lotus 1min22.326
20 Timo Glock (Germany) Virgin 1min22.449
21 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Lotus 1min228
22 Lucas Di Grassi (Brazil) Virgin - Cosworth 1min231
23 Bruno Senna (Brazil) HRT 1min23.358
24 Christian Klien (Austria) HRT 1min23.650
Title-chasing compatriot Sebastian Vettel will start second on Sunday 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 on Sunday, qualified fifth.
SIMPLY ASTONISHING
The Spaniard is 11 points ahead of Webber with two races remaining, 21 clear of Hamilton with Vettel a further four behind. McLaren's reigning World champion Jenson Button, who is 42 points back and must win on Sunday 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 a 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.
The Cosworth-powered team last won a race in 2004 with Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya at the same Interlagos circuit. Germany's Nick Heidfeld, at the Nurburgring, was its last driver on pole.
'SLICKS THE RIGHT DECISION'
"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 2011.
"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 media 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're also battling with Force India for sixth place in the Constructors' standings.
"I'm sure we can manage it and I hope I can bring home some good points tomorrow.”
He ended a run of eight poles in a row at Interlagos by native Spanish or Portuguese speakers.
'NICO WAS BETTER...'
Vettel, who has taken nine poles this season, was as surprised as anyone to be beaten by a driver who has scored only 18 points this season and never qualified higher than fifth.
"At first I thought I had missed pole by a tenth," he said. "Then I saw there was another digit. Nico was better than all of us today."
Webber said it was a very challenging session: "It was really, really tricky to get clean laps and I did my absolute best," he said. "I'm in a good position to start the race and it's a long one... congratulations to Nico, he made all of us look pretty average today."
2010 Brazilian Grand Prix provisional qualifying
1 Nico Hulkenberg (Germany) Williams 1min 14.470
2 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) RedBull 1min15.519
3 Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull 1min15.637
4 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min15.747
5 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min15.989
6 Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Williams 1min16.203
7 Robert Kubica (Poland) Renault 1min16.552
8 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min16.925
9 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min17.101
10 Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Renault 1min17.656
11 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min19.288
12 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) BMW Sauber 1min19.385
13 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min19.486
14 Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) Toro Rosso 1min19.581
15 Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso 1min19.847
16 Nick Heidfeld (Germany) BMW Sauber 1min19.899
17 Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) Force India 1min20.357
18 Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India 1min20.830
19 Timo Glock (Germany) Virgin 1min22.130
20 Jarno Trulli (Italy) Lotus 1min22.250
21 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Lotus 1min22.378
22 Lucas Di Grassi (Brazil) Virgin 1min22.810
23 Christian Klien (Austria) HRT 1min23.083
24 Bruno Senna (Brazil) HRT 1min23.796
FINAL PRACTICE AT INTERLAGOS
Renault's Robert Kubica kept Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel off the top of the time sheets in a wet final practice for the potentially title-deciding Brazilian GP on Saturday.
The Pole lapped the undulating anti-clockwise Interlagos circuit in 1min19.191 with Vettel's best lap 0.309 slower. Vettel, fourth in the championship and one of five contenders for the F1 title with one race remaining after Brazil, had been quickest in both Friday sessions.
McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, experimenting with different rear wings in a search for more performance, was third-fastest ahead of Ferrari pair Brazilian Felipe Massa and championship leader Fernando Alonso.
Alonso can become the sport's youngest triple champion on Sunday if results go his way.
Third and final free practice times ahead of the 2010 Brazilian GP
1 Robert Kubica (Poland) Renault 1min19.19
2 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 1min19.500
3 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min19.536
4 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min19.735
5 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min19.791
6 Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Renault 1min19.887
7 Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso 1min20.009
8 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min20.056
9 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min20.164
10 Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Williams 1min20.320
11 Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1min20.337
12 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min20.421
13 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) BMW 1min20.452
14 Nico Hulkenberg (Germany) Williams 1min20.535
15 Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) Toro Rosso 1min20.541
16 Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) Force India 1min20.546
17 Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India 1min20.613
18 Nick Heidfeld (Germany) BMW 1min20.985
19 Jarno Trulli (Italy) Lotus 1min22.326
20 Timo Glock (Germany) Virgin 1min22.449
21 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Lotus 1min228
22 Lucas Di Grassi (Brazil) Virgin - Cosworth 1min231
23 Bruno Senna (Brazil) HRT 1min23.358
24 Christian Klien (Austria) HRT 1min23.650