Brazil Grand Prix qualifying: Lewis Hamilton on pole as title race heats up

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg were first on to the track for Q1, leaving Sebastian Vettel far behind as the Ferrari team worked on his problematic braking system.

He finally got out and clocked the fifth-fastest time – trailing his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen as well as Red Bull's Max Verstappen – and of course the Mercedes pair.

Felipe Massa, in his final home grand prix, made a good start in his Williams – running eighth fastest from the off.

After Fernando Alonso's problems during free practice, it was Jenson Button's turn to take on the McLaren curse; he struggled in the middle sector, locking up, struggling with steering, and missing out on Q2.

Rosberg started to close the gap on his team-mate in Q2, just as he did between FP1 and FP2. Still, a tenth of a second isn't insignificant when you're driving this fast.

All the drama came as the clock ran out – Massa went ninth fastest before he got shunted down the rankings by four other cars, including both Force Indias, pulling it out of the tank at the last, That means that the Brazilian will start 13th – his lowest-ever grid position at Interlagos.

A sulky-sounding Rosberg complained about tyre pressure over the radio as he clocked a time still more than a tenth slower than Hamilton.

As the clock ticked down, Rosberg looked like he was closing in – but the defending champion put more horsepower behind it, recording an even better time and securing himself pole position.

The Ferraris and Red Bulls spent Q3 alternating places in the provisional second and third –and Alonso's McLaren looked solid, keeping pace with the Force Indias.

It was a changeable session in terms of the conditions, with the wind picking up and dropping, and some drops of rain reported on the track.

It wasn't that changeable in terms of what happened, though - yet another Mercedes one-two.

It's probably worth noting that usually at Interlagos grid position is reflected in subsequent podium places. If that happens tomorrow, the title race goes all the way to Abu Dhabi.

Massa's early exit was both surprising and sad. Still, with a noisy and partisan home crowd cheering him on, he'll be ready to fight his way through the field.

Keep an eye on Fernando Alonso. He loves Brazil, and he's on irrepressible form, getting great pace out of the McLaren, and reporting that he's happy with the team set-up after some of the tribulations he's been through in the past few years. If the car stays consistent, Alonso will always entertain.

Hamilton - Rosberg - Raikkonen