Austin: Nico Rosberg will start the United States Grand Prix from pole with Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton alongside him following a curtailed rain-lashed qualifying session at the Circuit of the Americas on Sunday morning.
The session, re-scheduled after being postponed on Saturday, was cut short after only two of the normal three sessions, as conditions worsened.
Rosberg, who was quickest in Q2, became the pole-sitter after a 15 minutes break during which the organisers decided it was impossible to continue.
It also meant German Rosberg grabbed his best chance to claim another victory and keep alive his title challenge on a day when defending two-time world champion Hamilton will seek to win and clinch his third drivers' title.
Australian Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull was classifed in third place ahead of his team-mate Daniil Kvyat with four-time champion Sebastian Vettel fifth for Ferrari.
Vettel will take a 10-place grid penalty, however, after taking a new Ferrari power unit this weekend.
Mexican Sergio Perez of Force India was sixth, but will be elevated to fifth to line up alongside his team-mate Nico Hulkenberg ahead of Felipe Massa of Williams, Dutch teenager Max Verstappen of Toro Rosso, Fernando Alonso of McLaren and Valtteri Bottas in the second Williams.
Kimi Raikkonen had qualified in fifth for Ferrari before he also took a 10-place penalty.
AFP
