SUZUKA, Japan – Formula 1 World champion Sebastian Vettel captured pole position as Red Bull dominated qualifying on Saturday for Sunday's Japanese GP.
Vettel clocked a fastest lap of 1min30.839 at the Suzuka circuit, 0.251 ahead of team mate Mark Webber.
McLaren's Jenson Button was third fastest but will start eighth on the grid because of a five-place penalty for a gearbox change at the Singapore GP two weeks earlier.
HAMILTON NINTH
Current championship leader Fernando Alonso in a Ferrari was seventh-fastest, behind Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber), who will now start third, Romain Grosjean (Lotus), Sergio Perez (Sauber) and Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus).
McLaren's Lewis Hamilton was ninth after a late spin by Raikkonen prevented the Briton from getting in a final lap.
Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) will start last on the grid as a result of his 10-place penalty following his crash at Singapore when he ran into the rear of Jean-Eric Vergne's Toro Rosso.
Qualifying ahead of the Formula One Japanese GP
1 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 1min30.839
2 Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1min31.090
3 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min31.290
4 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber 1min31.700
5 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus 1min31.898
6 Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber 1min32.022
7 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min32.114
8 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus 1min32.208
9 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min32.327
10 Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India
11 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min32.293
12 Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India 1min32.327
13 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min32.469
14 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1min32.512
15 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min32.625
16 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso 1min32.954
17 Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso 1min33.368
18 Bruno Senna (Brazil) Williams 1min33.405
19 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham 1min34.657
20 Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia 1min35.213
21 Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT 1min35.385
22 Charles Pic (France) Marussia 1min35.429
23 Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Caterham 1min35.432
24 Narain Karthikeyan (India) HRT 1min36.734
1-10 Final qualifying session
11-17 Second qualifying session
18-24 First qualifying session
Vettel clocked a fastest lap of 1min30.839 at the Suzuka circuit, 0.251 ahead of team mate Mark Webber.
McLaren's Jenson Button was third fastest but will start eighth on the grid because of a five-place penalty for a gearbox change at the Singapore GP two weeks earlier.
HAMILTON NINTH
Current championship leader Fernando Alonso in a Ferrari was seventh-fastest, behind Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber), who will now start third, Romain Grosjean (Lotus), Sergio Perez (Sauber) and Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus).
McLaren's Lewis Hamilton was ninth after a late spin by Raikkonen prevented the Briton from getting in a final lap.
Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) will start last on the grid as a result of his 10-place penalty following his crash at Singapore when he ran into the rear of Jean-Eric Vergne's Toro Rosso.
Qualifying ahead of the Formula One Japanese GP
1 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 1min30.839
2 Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1min31.090
3 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min31.290
4 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber 1min31.700
5 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus 1min31.898
6 Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber 1min32.022
7 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min32.114
8 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus 1min32.208
9 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min32.327
10 Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India
11 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min32.293
12 Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India 1min32.327
13 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min32.469
14 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1min32.512
15 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min32.625
16 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso 1min32.954
17 Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso 1min33.368
18 Bruno Senna (Brazil) Williams 1min33.405
19 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham 1min34.657
20 Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia 1min35.213
21 Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT 1min35.385
22 Charles Pic (France) Marussia 1min35.429
23 Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Caterham 1min35.432
24 Narain Karthikeyan (India) HRT 1min36.734
1-10 Final qualifying session
11-17 Second qualifying session
18-24 First qualifying session