Sebastian Vettel gave Red Bull Racing its first ever pole position in qualifying at Shanghai, ahead of Renault's resurgent Fernando Alonso (pictured).
Mark Webber added to Red Bull's delight with third on the grid, while the hitherto dominant Brawns were back in fourth and fifth, Rubens Barrichello ahead of Jenson Button.
It is the second pole of Vettel's career, and his first in the dry after he took top spot in the rain at Monza last season.
Alonso's pace is just reward for the Renault team, which worked until the early hours fitting a new, Brawn-style rear diffuser to the car.
1 Vettel (Red Bull-Renault) 1:36.1842 Alonso (Renault) 1:36.3813 Webber (Red Bull-Renault) 1:36.4664 Barrichello (Brawn-Mercedes) 1:36.4935 Button (Brawn-Mercedes) 1:36.5326 Trulli (Toyota) 1:36.8357 Rosberg (Williams-Toyota) 1:37.3978 Raikkonen (Ferrari) 1:38.0899 Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) 1:38.59510 Buemi (Toro Rosso-Ferrari) 1:39.321
11 Heidfeld (BMW-Sauber) 1:35.97512 Kovalainen (McLaren-Mercedes) 1:36.03213 Massa (Ferrari) 1:36.03314 Glock (Toyota) 1:36.06615 Nakajima (Williams-Toyota) 1:36.193
16 Bourdais (Toro Rosso-Ferrari) 1:36.90617 Piquet (Renault) 1:36.90818 Kubica (BMW-Sauber) 1:36.96619 Sutil (Force India-Mercedes) 1:37.66920 Fisichella (Force India-Mercedes) 1:37.672
All timing unofficial
Add your comment