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Rosberg takes first career pole in China

 

Saturday 14 April 2012 10:17 BST
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Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg, centre, celebrates with teammate Michael Schumacher, right, and Lewis Hamilton of McLaren after winning the qualifying session the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai
Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg, centre, celebrates with teammate Michael Schumacher, right, and Lewis Hamilton of McLaren after winning the qualifying session the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai

Germany's Nico Rosberg, driving a Mercedes, took the first pole position of his Formula One career at the Chinese Grand Prix today.

His team mate, seven times world champion Michael Schumacher, will start alongside on the front row after qualifying third. McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, who was second fastest, has a five place grid penalty.

The pole was the first for Mercedes with their own team since Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio at the 1955 Italian Grand Prix. Mercedes left the sport that same year and returned under their own name in 2010.

Rosberg's pole came in his 111th race in the sport.

Starting grid

1. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes
2. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes
3. Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber - Ferrari
4. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus - Renault
5. Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren
6. Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull - Renault
7. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren
8. Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber - Ferrari
9. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari
10. Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus - Renault
11. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) RedBull - Renault
12. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari
13. Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams - Renault
14. Bruno Senna (Brazil) Williams - Renault
15. Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India - Mercedes
16. Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India - Mercedes
17. Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso - Ferrari
18. Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso - Ferrari
19. Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham - Renault
20. Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Caterham - Renault
21. Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia - Cosworth
22. Charles Pic (France) Marussia - Cosworth
23. Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT - Cosworth
24. Narain Karthikeyan (India) HRT - Cosworth

REUTERS

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