MANAMA — Germany's Nico Rosberg looked forward to ‘kick-starting' his season after seizing Mercedes's second successive pole position in qualifying for the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix Saturday. Compatriot and triple world champion Sebastian Vettel joined him on the front row for Red Bull at a circuit where no driver has won from lower than fourth place on the grid in eight previous races. “Am I surprised? A little bit. It wasn't really clear who was the quickest car over one lap,” said Rosberg of his second career pole. “I really want to kickstart my season. It has been a rough ride in the first three races. Today was my first real qualifying.” Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, three-time winner in Bahrain, will share the second row in Sunday's race with Brazilian teammate Felipe Massa after penalties for Mercedes's Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull's Mark Webber. Hamilton was on pole in China last weekend but collected a five-place penalty for an unscheduled gearbox change after Saturday's final practice, dropping him from fourth. Webber was fifth fastest for his 200th race, but falls three places as a punishment for causing a collision in Shanghai, with Massa moving up from sixth. Rosberg's only previous pole was in China last year. Mercedes has not had back-to-back poles since it returned as a works team in 2010. Vettel leads the championship with 52 points, with Kimi Raikkonen, who qualified in ninth place but moves up to eighth, second on 49 for Lotus. Alonso has 43. Britain's Paul Di Resta qualified a strong seventh for Force India and will move up to fifth after the grid penalties. — Agencies
