Reigning Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton continued his imperious form as he emerged as the quickest driver in the third and final practice session to seal pole position in the 2016 Australian Grand Prix on Saturday.
The British driver, who topped the previous two practice sessions as well, finished the race in one minute 25.624 seconds ahead of Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, who clocked one minute 25.800 seconds for the second place.
Meanwhile, four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel fell 0.228 seconds adrift of Hamilton's time to finish third in the final practice session of the season-opening F1 race,Sport24 reported.
Mercedes seem to be well placed for the qualifying round where the new format will see drivers eliminated one by one every minute-and-a-half rather than being dismissed at the end of each session.
The Australian Grand Prix will take place in Melbourne on Sunday.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app