Shanghai Qualifying: Rosberg thumps Ferrari but Hamilton to start last

It was a bittersweet qualifying session for the Mercedes team as Nico Rosberg powered to pole position for the Chinese grand Prix while his teammate Lewis Hamilton failed to do a lap as a technical issue sidelined hi, which means he will start from last on the grid.

Formula 1 returned to the traditional qualifying format, after ditching the abysmal musical chairs format, and the decision proved to be a sound one - at least we knew what was going on and action went on to the very last moment of Q3.

Nevertheless conditions conspired to tarnish the return to the preferred format as Pascal Wehrlein lost control of his Manor over a damp bump on the main straight, he slammed the barriers sideways before coming to a halt.

The powers that be deemed it necessary to dry the patch, after the Manor was cleared, which in turn delayed proceedings. Later on there was a another stoppage after a wheel on Nico Hulkenberg's Force India worked itself loose.

With a few minutes left in Q2 when the incident happened, several drivers were caught out just as they were about to start their final flying laps.

Nevertheless at the end of a niggley, but tense session, Rosberg will start from the top spot on the grid for the first time this year. Thanks to an exceptional final lap of 1:35.402 he was half a second up on next best and suggests that Mercedes turned up the wick in anticipation of a Ferrari attack in the final moments of Q3.

Rosberg summed up his afternoon, "The whole weekend has gone well, the car was handling well so to get the lap done I am happy. Not ecstatic because Lewis had bad luck so the fight didn't go on but I am pleased."

Upsetting the form book in his under-powered but superb handling Red Bull was Daniel Ricciardo who, against the odds, ended the session second fastest.

That big smile was back as the Aussie explained, "Q3 we found a bit more speed. Not sure where that came from. Second - pretty awesome. We didn't expect this."

Much was expected of Ferrari after they dominated the second free practice session 24 hours earlier, but when it mattered their drivers fell short. Kimi Raikkonen did two runs and ended up third and fastest of the Maranello pair.

The Finn said afterwards, "I was quite a bit up in the last lap and ran wide on the hairpin and lost time. It's a shame, we had a chance to be top but that's how it goes and we will try to make the best of it tomorrow."

Sebastian Vettel inexplicably opted for one run in Q3 which was a strange decision considering the ever changing nature of conditions at the Shanghai International Circuit at the point in time. He had one shot at top spot and fell short by three quarters of a second thanks to a clumsy lap. He will line-up fourth on the grid.

Valtteri Bottas will start fifth for Williams, with Red Bull's Daniel Kvyat sharing the third row in his Red Bull.

Force India had both cars in Q3 with Sergio Perez ending seventh fastest while teammate Hulkenberg was left wondering what might have happened had his wheel not overtaken him. He was tenth.

Carlos Sainz won the battle of the Toro Rosso hot shots with the eighth best time, which was two tenths up on teammate Max Verstappen who will start ninth.

Reigning world champion Hamilton continues to attract bad luck and will start last on the grid thanks to his early shower, combined with a five place grid penalty - it will be an interesting afternoon for the Mercedes driver.