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Summary Jenson Button claimed pole position in qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Jenson Button took his first pole position for McLaren on Saturday when he clocked the fastest time during qualifying for Sundays Belgian Grand Prix.It was the 32-year-old Britons first pole in 60 races for the Woking-based team, who endured a tough time, particularly in qualifying during the first half of the season.The 2009 champion clocked a best lap time of the historic Spa Francorchamps circuit in one minute 47.573 seconds, edging out Japanese Kamui Kobayashi of Sauber by two tenths of a second who became the first Japanese driver in history to qualify on the front row.The Englishman who last took pole at Monaco in 2009, was overjoyed.Also of note Saturday was the shock exit from Q2 of champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull, who will have to start from the fifth row Sunday.While Button was on top in Q2, his fastest time almost a second clear of the field, defending champion Vettel failed to make the top ten shootout after struggling to get the most out of his car.Vettel said: I was pretty happy with the lap, but we werent quick enough. There was only a little amount missing, but thats racing. I think overtaking is OK here, so we will see tomorrow.Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado of Williams qualified third fastest - but was then dropped to sixth on the grid after he was found guilty of blocking German rival Nico Hulkenberg of Force India during the Q1 session.That decision lifted Finn Kimi Raikkonen of Lotus up to third ahead of Mexican Sergio Perez, originally fifth in the second Sauber.Championship leader Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Ferrari was moved up from sixth to fifth.Red Bulls Australian driver Australian Mark Webber will start 12th after suffering a five-place grid penalty for changing his gearbox.That meant 2008 champion Briton Lewis Hamilton, plagued by rear wing errors, gained a place on the grid and will start on the fourth row behind Alonso and Maldonado, who had topped the times in the opening Q1 mini-session which saw Nico Rosberg the surprise exit in the second Mercedes.As if that wasnt bad enough, Rosberg will drop five places after changing his cars gearbox before qualifying.Although German Michael Schumacher would have hoped for more for his 300th Grand Prix, the seven times champion could only manage 13th ahead of Brazilian Felipe Massa in the second Ferrari.Toro Rosso drivers Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne and Australian Daniel Ricciardo were 15th and 16th fastest respectively while Brazilian Bruno Senna of Williams was 17th.
