Lewis Hamilton claimed the 40th pole position of his Formula One career at the end of a storm-hit qualifying session for the Malaysian Grand Prix that added spice to the occasion.
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Thunder and lightning made for a dramatic backdrop during the initial timed run at the Sepang International Circuit before a torrential downpour unfolded midway through the second session.
That was @LewisHamilton‘s 40th #F1 pole position – how about that for a Saturday stunner! 
#MalaysiaGP #F1inMalaysia
— MERCEDES AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) March 28, 2015
After a 35-minute delay it was reigning champion Hamilton who again held sway over his rivals, but only just as the 30-year-old finished a mere 0.074secs clear of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, with Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg back in third.
There were some fun and games between Hamilton and Rosberg at one point in Q3 as the latter appeared to slow and impede the former just as the Briton had posted the quickest first sector time.
Hamilton, though, gained a small measure of revenge by passing Rosberg and then slowing himself, suggesting there are still mind games going on between the duo.
Come the conclusion Hamilton was left breathing a sigh of relief as Vettel – and not Rosberg – emerged as his closest challenger.
Hamilton said: “The first lap was quite good.
“It’s always difficult when you’ve not driven in the wet, with the first lap the unknown, you don’t want to take too many risks.
“So you have to get the banker lap you need and then the next one I was up at one stage, but I lost a little bit somewhere.
“In the end the team has done a fantastic job to get me up here again.”
It is the first time in 10 races Mercedes have failed to lock out the front row, offering Vettel hope of challenging the duo in the race.
“You never know. Just look outside, when it starts to rain it can mix up things,” said Vettel, the first Ferrari driver to qualify on the front row for two years.
“The car felt good in dry and damp conditions, and on long runs we looked good in practice, so we’ll see what we can do. It looks like we are a bit closer.”
Rosberg conceded he simply “didn’t drive well enough”.
He added: “I’m annoyed by that, third place is not good enough.
“For tomorrow, I’m on the clean side of the grid so that should help me pass Seb at the start.”
