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- Dubai 04:32 05:49 12:21 15:48 18:47 20:04
McLaren Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain signs an autograph for a fan after the qualifying session ahead of Sunday's South Korean F1 Grand Prix at the Korea International Circuit in Yeongam October 15, 2011. Hamilton took pole position, with Vettel taking second spot on the grid and Jenson Button taking third place. (REUTERS)
Lewis Hamilton will start the Korean Grand Prix from pole position after delivering a brilliant qualifying lap Saturday to end the domination of Sebastian Vettel and his Red Bull team.
Hamilton, who was quickest throughout the hour, clocked a fastest lap of one minute and 35.820 seconds in his McLaren on his second flying run around the Korean International Circuit to leave double world champion Vettel chasing a time he could not match.
The 24-year-old German, who had reeled off five poles in a row -- and 12 in all this season -- ended up second on the grid. It was the first time this season that a Red Bull driver had not taken pole.
For 26-year-old Englishman Hamilton, the 2008 champion, it proved he was back to his best form after a desultory run of five races without a podium. This was his first pole position for more than a year and the 19th of his career.
But there were no celebrations as he climbed silently and deliberately out of his car at the end, his face fixed in an expression that oozed determination to complete the job in Sunday's 55-lap race.
Hamilton's McLaren teammate and compatriot Jenson Button, the 2009 champion, was third fastest ahead of Australian Mark Webber in the second Red Bull and the two Ferraris of Brazilian Felipe Massa and two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Spain.
German Nico Rosberg was seventh for Mercedes, ahead of Russian Vitaly Petrov of Renault and the two Force India cars driven by British rookie Paul Di Resta and German Adrian Sutil.
On a welcome dry day after a downpour on Friday, the opening Q1 section of the session saw plenty of early action, dominated again by McLaren with Hamilton outpacing Button ahead of Petrov's Renault and Alonso. Vettel was down in 11th as Red Bull restricted tyre use to one flying lap.
The session saw the usual strugglers and claimed an early scalp with the exit of Brazilian veteran Rubens Barrichello of Williams, trumped in the final seconds by his teammate Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado, who survived.
Out with Barrichello went the Lotus pair Finn Heikki Kovalainen and Italian Jarno Trulli, followed by the two Virgins of German Timo Glock and Belgian Jerome d'Ambrosio.
Seven time champion Michael Schumacher, 42, was eliminated in Q2 as the Force India cars of Paul di Resta and Adrian Sutil pushed their way into the top 10 shootout, and the German legend will start the race from 12th.
As the final session unfolded, it was Hamilton who shone first as his McLaren danced, fizzed and twitched to an early fastest time of 1:36.130. It was the benchmark and in succession Button, Webber and Vettel tried to beat it, but failed.
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