Suzuka, Sep 26 (IANS): Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg secured pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix, less than a tenth of a second up on team-mate Lewis Hamilton here on Saturday.
Williams' Valtteri Bottas was third and Felipe Massa fifth, split by the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel, whose team mate Kimi Raikkonen was sixth.
Daniel Ricciardo was seventh for Red Bull, ahead of Lotus’s Romain Grosjean and Force India’s Sergio Perez.
Force India's second driver Nico Hulkenberg was penalised three grid places for causing a collision at the previous round. He no stands 11th on the list.
Red Bull's Daniil Kvyat emerged unscathed after a horrific crash at the end of qualifying.
The Russian driver put a wheel onto the grass before losing control of his car and slamming into the barriers at high speed.