Hamilton takes 80th place in pole position in Japan, Vettel eighth

SUZUKA, Japan (Reuters) – Formula One leader Lewis Hamilton took pole position in Japan's all-time record, extending the pole record, which earned him the eighth place.

The Mercedes driver, in dominating position all weekend on the Suzuka circuit, made a lap of one minute at 27.760 seconds with super soft tires while spitting in the rain.

Vettel and his Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, who took intermediate tires in the last part of qualifying, while the track is still dry, have lost time to get into ultra-soft tires.

The German then made another mistake in his first lap and failed to do another, the intermittent drizzle turning into a full-fledged shower that drowned the track.

Meanwhile, Hamilton – who with his team-mate Valtteri Bottas, was immediately out with ultra-flexible tires to defeat the rain – illuminated the timing screens.

"The team did a great job this weekend and the call we made for the third quarter was probably the hardest," said the Briton, joined by Bottas in first place after the Finn has completed a second consecutive lockout of Mercedes in the front row.

"It's so difficult when the pressure is on making the right choice, but it's the big difference between us this year and that's why we're the best and the team deserves it," added Hamilton.

Vettel leads his team-mate quadruple 50 points in the standings with only four races left behind Japan. His hopes fade quickly and he now needs a stroke of luck to revive his challenge.

"This is obviously not the position in which we deserve to be," said the 31-year-old, ninth-placed ninth-place, after one-time Force India's Esteban Ocon lost three places for a red flag offense in final tests.

"Anything can happen tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day."

RICCIARDO FUMES

Vettel's misfortune allowed Max Verstappen, a 21-year-old Dutchman, to qualify third for Red Bull.

"We have a greater chance now to get on the podium," said Verstappen, fearing that he should be too worried about the battle for the title of the others: "Is this still a battle? I'm not sure, he said.

While the Dutchman was celebrating, his team-mate Daniel Ricciardo became angry after a powerplant problem that had left him out during the second qualifying phase before setting the time.

The Australian, therefore, should start 15th.

"I just can not take a break," said Ricciardo, who will leave Red Bull for Renault at the end of the year.

Toro Rosso took part in what is a home race for the Honda engine supplier. New Zealander Brendon Hartley finished sixth ahead of his French team-mate Pierre Gasly in seventh place.

"I'm happy with that. I was a little emotional about the race lap, "said Hartley, who has had a tough time this year and faces an uncertain future.

The McLaren rivals, who abandoned Honda for Renault after three frustrating years, could do nothing better than the 18th and 19th.

Fernando Alonso, who retired, defeated Stoffel Vandoorne but none of the two drivers passed the first 18 minutes of the session.

Sweden's Marcus Ericsson briefly released the red flags when he crashed his Sauber on the fast Dunlop curve to the left at the start of the session.

Renault's German Nico Hulkenberg, who fell in the final practice session before qualifying, came back on the track, but was also eliminated in the first phase with the 16th time.

That could be bad news for the French team ranked fourth, with his closest rival, Haas, who will qualify Romain Grosjean for fifth place.

Hamilton has won five of the last six races and is already in a position where he no longer needs to win this year to win the title. The Briton won pole from Japan last year.