SEBASTIAN VETTEL ended Mercedes’ run of early-season qualifying supremacy Saturday when he claimed a dramatic late pole position for Ferrari in a crash-hit showdown at the Canadian Grand Prix.

“I feel so very, very happy for the team,” Vettel said. “I am full of adrenaline and the last few weeks have been tough for us. The car felt very good and now I hope we can carry that into the race.”

The four-time champion repeated his 2018 success, when he won from pole, by outpacing championship leader Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes by two-tenths of a second at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

It was Vettel’s first pole position triumph of the season, his first pole in 17 races since last year’s German Grand Prix and a signal that Ferrari’s superior straight-line speed was well-suited to the track.

“Seb did a stunning lap and he deserved to be on pole,” said Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff. “Lewis picked up a couple of mistakes in the hairpin.”

(SD-Agencies)