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Singapore GP: Rosberg takes pole position with epic lap

Singapore - Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg took pole position for the 2016 Singapore GP with a stunning lap time at the Marina Bay street circuit on Saturday.

Rosberg trails championship leader and Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton by two points in the championship.

He put himself in the best possible position for a third consecutive victory with a time of 1min42.584 seconds - more than half a second faster than Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo in second.

Hamilton qualified third, ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

READ: As it happened - Singapore GP qualifying

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen qualified fifth, but team mate Sebastian Vettel starts last after his car had an anti-roll bar failure in the Q1 session.

Red Bull cars start the race on harder tires than the Mercedes, allowing them to go longer Sunday before pitting.

Qualifying Q3

1. Nico Rosberg (GER/Mercedes) 1min42:584sec

2. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Red Bull-TAG Heuer) 1min43:115

3. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1min43:288

4. Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull-TAG Heuer) 1min43:328

5. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/Ferrari) 1min43:540

6. Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Toro Rosso-Ferrari) 1min44:197

7. Daniil Kvyat (RUS/Toro Rosso-Ferrari) 1min44:469

8. Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Force India-Mercedes) 1min44:479

9. Fernando Alonso (ESP/McLaren-Honda) 1min44:553

10. Sergio Perez (MEX/Force India-Mercedes) 1min44:582

Eliminated in Q2

11. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Williams-Mercedes)

12. Felipe Massa (BRA/Williams-Mercedes)

13. Jenson Button (GBR/McLaren-Honda)

14. Esteban Gutierrez (MEX/Haas-Ferrari)

15. Romain Grosjean (FRA/Haas-Ferrari)

16. Marcus Ericsson (SWE/Sauber-Ferrari)

Eliminated in Q1

17. Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Renault)

18. Felipe Nasr (BRA/Sauber-Ferrari)

19. Jolyon Palmer (GBR/Renault)

20. Pascal Wehrlein (GER/Manor-Mercedes)

21. Esteban Ocon (FRA/Manor-Mercedes)

22. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari)

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