Formula 1: Sebastian Vettel takes pole for 2018 German Grand Prix

By Asher Fair | Jul 21, 2018

HOCKENHEIM, GERMANY - JULY 21: Sebastian Vettel of Germany driving the (5) Scuderia Ferrari SF71H (Photo by Charles Coates/Getty Images) /

Scuderia Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel took the pole position for the German Grand Prix, the 11th race of the 2018 Formula 1 season.

Scuderia Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel took the pole position for the 11th race of the 21-race 2018 Formula 1 season, the German Grand Prix, by setting the track record on his final qualifying lap. The pole position is his fifth pole position of the season and the 55th pole position of his career.

Vettel took the pole position for the 67-lap race around the 17-turn, 2.842-mile (4.574-kilometer) Hockenheimring in Am Motodrom, Hockenheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany by recording a top lap speed of 143.672 miles per hour (71.212 seconds) around the track in the third and final round of qualifying.

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport’s Valtteri Bottas took the provisional pole position shortly before Vettel recorded his fastest lap of the third and final round of qualified. Bottas is set to start the race in second place alongside Vettel. Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen is set to start in third alongside Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen in fourth.

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Haas teammates Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean qualified on the third row in fifth and sixth place, respectively, and Renault Sport teammates Nico Hulkenberg and Carlos Sainz Jr. qualified on the fourth row in seventh and eighth, respectively.

Once again, Alfa Romeo Sauber’s Charles Leclerc advanced to the third and final qualifying session. He is set to start the race in ninth place alongside Sahara Force India’s Sergio Perez in 10th.

Two of the sport’s top six drivers experienced issues in this qualifying session. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton finished in fifth place in the first round of qualifying, but a gearbox and hydraulic failure prevented him from competing in the second round of qualifying, so he is set to start the race in 14th.

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Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo advanced to the second qualifying session, but he did not record any laps during this session, as he is set to start the race at the back of the grid anyway as a result of an engine penalty. He officially qualified in 15th place but will likely start in 20th.

Here is a link to the full qualifying results for the 2018 German Grand Prix at the Hockenheimring.

Next: Top 10 Formula 1 drivers of all-time

Tune in to ESPN2 tomorrow at 9:10 a.m. ET for the live broadcast of the German Grand Prix from the Hockenheimring.

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