Texas- Defending champion Lewis Hamilton powered to pole position for Sunday's United States Grand Prix on Saturday when he out-paced Mercedes team mate and championship leader Nico Rosberg with a blistering lap in a tense qualifying session.
The 31-year-old Briton dominated the action with a best lap in 1min34.999 seconds - the first driver to break the 1min35 barrier - to outstrip the German by 0.216 seconds as the Silver Arrows pairing reeled off their 10th front row lockout of the year.
It is the 58th pole position of Hamilton's career and his ninth this year, but his first at the Circuit of the Americas where despite winning three of the four previous races he had failed to dominate qualifying.
As it happened: 2016 United States Grand Prix qualifying
Hamilton said: "I feel amazing. It's my first pole here. I could hear the crowd cheering as I crossed the line."
Daniel Ricciardo qualified third for Red Bull ahead of his team mate Max Verstappen with the Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and four-time champion Sebastian Vettel taking fifth and sixth.
Renault-bound Nico Hulkenberg was seventh for Force India ahead of Valtteri Bottas and his Williams team-mate Felipe Massa and Carlos Sainz of Toro Rosso.
Hamilton is seeking his 50th win to stay in contention in the title race in which he trails Rosberg by 33 points with four races remaining.
2016 United States Grand Prix qualifying times on Saturday:
Q3
1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes 1min34.999
2. Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes 1min35.215
3. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) Red Bull-TAG Heuer 1min35.509
4. Max Verstappen (NED) Red Bull-TAG Heuer 1min35.747
5. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 1min36.131
6. Sebastian Vettel (GER) Ferrari 1min36.358
7. Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Force India-Mercedes 1min36.628
8. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Williams-Mercedes 1min37.116
9. Felipe Massa (BRA) Williams-Mercedes 1min37.269
10. Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1min37.326
Q2
1. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) Red Bull-TAG Heuer 1min36.255 (Q)
2. Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes 1min36.351 (Q)
3. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes 1min36.450 (Q)
4. Sebastian Vettel (GER) Ferrari 1min36.462 (Q)
5. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 1min36.584 (Q)
6. Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Force India-Mercedes 1min36.626 (Q)
7. Max Verstappen (NED) Red Bull-TAG Heuer 1min36.857 (Q)
8. Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1min37.175 (Q)
9. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Williams-Mercedes 1min37.202 (Q)
10. Felipe Massa (BRA) Williams-Mercedes 1min37.214 (Q)
11. Sergio Perez (MEX) Force India-Mercedes 1min37.353
12. Fernando Alonso (ESP) McLaren-Honda 1min37.417
13. Daniil Kvyat (RUS) Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1min37.480
14. Esteban Gutierrez (MEX) Haas-Ferrari 1min37.773
15. Jolyon Palmer (GBR) Renault 1min37.935
16. Marcus Ericsson (SWE) Sauber-Ferrari 1min39.356
Q1
1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes 1min36.296 (Q)
2. Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes 1min36.397 (Q)
3. Max Verstappen (NED) Red Bull-TAG Heuer 1min36.613 (Q)
4. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) Red Bull-TAG Heuer 1min36.759 (Q)
5. Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Force India-Mercedes 1min36.950 (Q)
6. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 1min36.985 (Q)
7. Sebastian Vettel (GER) Ferrari 1min37.151 (Q)
8. Sergio Perez (MEX) Force India-Mercedes 1min37.345 (Q)
9. Felipe Massa (BRA) Williams-Mercedes 1min37.402 (Q)
10. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Williams-Mercedes 1min37.456 (Q)
11. Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1min37.744 (Q)
12. Daniil Kvyat (RUS) Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1min37.844 (Q)
13. Fernando Alonso (ESP) McLaren-Honda 1min37.913 (Q)
14. Marcus Ericsson (SWE) Sauber-Ferrari 1min38.040 (Q)
15. Esteban Gutierrez (MEX) Haas-Ferrari 1min38.053 (Q)
16. Jolyon Palmer (GBR) Renault 1min38.084 (Q)
17. Romain Grosjean (FRA) Haas-Ferrari 1min38.308
18. Kevin Magnussen (DEN) Renault 1min38.317
19. Jenson Button (GBR) McLaren-Honda 1min38.327
20. Pascal Wehrlein (GER) Manor-Mercedes 1min38.548
21. Felipe Nasr (BRA) Sauber-Ferrari 1min38.583
22. Esteban Ocon (FRA) Manor-Mercedes 1:38.806