Literature Commission inaugurates Saudi Pavilion at Muscat Book Fair    Saudi Minister of Culture holds talks with his Costa Rican counterpart in Jeddah    Saudi Arabia cracks down on fraudulent Hajj campaigns, urges pilgrims to use official channels    Nammos Amala Resort to open soon with Saudi-Greek designs    Saudi Arabia completes 674 Vision 2030 initiatives, achieves 93% of KPIs as ninth-year milestone marked    MHRSD: 80% of recruitment offices are non-compliant with regulations    GACA chief chairs 16th meeting of the Steering Committee on aviation's strategy    Alkhorayef praises advancements in Al-Kharj food industries sector    At least 50 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza    Teenage girl killed in French school stabbing attack    Trump claims meeting with China after Beijing denies any trade negotiations    Police fatally shoot man at Toronto's international airport    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Jennifer Lopez dazzles in Jeddah with a Formula 1 performance    Saudi Arabia open to expanded 64-team World Cup in 2034, says sports minister    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Super Max Verstappen scorches to pole with record lap in Jeddah    Film Commission launches 'Cinema' initiative to enhance content    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Rosberg takes pole in Belgium
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 24 - 08 - 2014

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg of Germany, right, talks with Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany, after Rosberg qualified for pole position, ahead of Sunday's Belgian Formula One Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2014. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain, placed second, Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany, left, will start from third position. — AP

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium — Formula One leader Nico Rosberg swept to pole position at the Belgian Grand Prix Saturday with Mercedes teammate and title rival Lewis Hamilton alongside on the front row after a wet qualifying session.

Red Bull's four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, last year's winner at the circuit in the Ardennes forests, qualified in third place and was joined on the second row by Ferrari's Fernando Alonso.

Rosberg leads 2008 world champion Hamilton by 11 points after 11 of 19 races.

The pole was Rosberg's seventh of the season, with dominant Mercedes taking 11 of the 12 so far, fourth in a row and 11th of his Formula One career.

It was also his first at Spa in typically tricky conditions and reinforced his team's pace, with Rosberg's pole time of two minutes 05.591 seconds comparing to Vettel's best lap of 2:07.717 - a hefty margin. "It's awesome. This is one of the most special tracks of the year so to be in front here is great," said the German. "It's always difficult on this track in the wet.

"We have a great car here. We are leading the way. We definitely have really good chances for tomorrow."

Hamilton, a winner in Belgium in 2010, had been quickest in the second phase of qualifying and the front row start, while not pole, at least ended a long run of qualifying setbacks.

"I'm just happy to be up here," said the Briton, who started the previous race in Hungary last and from the pit lane but still finished third and ahead of Rosberg at the chequered flag.

"I had a glazed front left brake disc so the car was pulling to the left or to the right, and there was nothing I could do on the out lap to get rid of that...I had to bring the braking point a little bit further back, and I was losing massive amounts out of turn one."

Australian Daniel Ricciardo, winner in Hungary, qualified fifth for Red Bull with Finland's Valtteri Bottas alongside in a Williams. Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen was seventh for McLaren with Ferrari's four times Spa winner Kimi Raikkonen eighth and Brazilian Felipe Massa ninth for Williams.

At the back of the grid, Germany's three times Le Mans winner Andre Lotterer made his qualifying debut at the age of 32 and was nearly a second quicker than Swedish rookie teammate Marcus Ericsson in the other Caterham. The German did however benefit from updates that Ericsson did not have.

Frenchman Jules Bianchi continued to impress for Marussia, qualifying 16th and ahead of Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado in the Lotus and Germany's Nico Hulkenberg for Force India. — Reuters


Clic here to read the story from its source.