For the first time in 31 races, since Singapore in September 2015, grand prix fans will see a starting grid without a Mercedes on the front row. Germany's four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel, on pole, and Finnish team mate Kimi Raikkonen gave Ferrari their first front-row lockout since 2008 and ended Mercedes's run of 18 successive pole positions. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, whose team have won both championships for the past three years, said it had been bound to happen eventually. Valtteri Bottas, the Finn who joined Mercedes in January as replacement for the now-retired 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg, qualified third with triple world champion Lewis Hamilton fourth. With Mercedes enjoying one-lap supremacy in qualifying up to now, but Ferrari impressive over the race distance, the champions are up against it.

Source: The Star April 29, 2017 17:37 UTC