October 30, 2011 11:40 AM

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Vettel takes pole position for Indian Grand Prix

The new formula one world champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull on Saturday scorched his way to the pole position while five drivers have been imposed penalty for different breaches in the inaugural Indian Grand Prix qualifying session at Budh International Circuit in Greater Noida. This was Vettel's 28th pole of his career and 13th this season, putting him just one behind Nigel Mansell's single season record of 14 pole positions, set in 1992. AIR correspondent reports, Vettel also tied the single season record for front row starts on Saturday, with a 16th front row position.Vettel is now equal sixth in the all-time standings alongside five-time champion Juan Manuel Fangio. With team-mate Mark Webber set to start second tomorrow after McLaren Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton was handed a three-place grid penalty yesterday for ignoring yellow flags during the first practice session, Red Bull will secure the front row for the sixth time this season.The only Indian driver to race in the inaugural Indian Grand Prix, Narain Karthikeyan, was handed a five-place grid penalty for impeding German driver Michael Schumacher's car during the qualifying race. The penalty means that he will have to start from the last position. Karthikeyan had qualified in the 22nd position but will now move to the rear of the 24-car field on the grid on Sunday.Force India's Driver Adrian Sutil pushed hard in the Q2 and managed to get into the Q3. But ,he did not run in the Q3,keeping in mind the tyre wear, and managed to stick to the eighth position. Force India's second driver, Paul di Resta did better than the final practice session in the morning, but could not make the Q3 and settled for 13th position after clocking 1:26.503, just behind Schumacher.Apart from the two Hispania drivers, Renault's Vitali Petrov will also move five places behind his original qualifying position of 11th since he carried a penalty from the last race in Korea, where he had collided with Schumacher. McLaren's Lewis Hamilton and Sauber's Sergio Perez also were handed three-place grid penalties for ignoring double waved yellow flags on Saturday. Perez will go to 20th from qualifying position of 17th and Hamilton to fifth from original second place. Petrov will start from 16th after ending 11th in Q2.

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