Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel took a stunning pole position at the European Grand Prix.

The world champion was 0.324 seconds clear of McLaren's Lewis Hamilton in an otherwise closely fought qualifying session on the Valencia street track.

I expected to be further back. We had to make some guesses as to what kind of set-up we wanted and it seemed to work OK

Williams's Pastor Maldonado was third, ahead of the Lotus drivers Romain Grosjean and Kimi Raikkonen, with Jenson Button ninth.

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and Red Bull's Mark Webber were 11th and 19th.

The Force Indias looked like they might challenge at the front but Nico Hulkenberg and Paul di Resta ended up eighth and 10th.

Di Resta admitted that a mistake in the final corner on his final lap cost him the chance to be much higher up.

"I think we wouldn't have been far away but I just locked a wheel," Di Resta said.

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was sixth, ahead of Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi.

Vettel's pole was his third in a row at this track, and the 33rd of his career, matching the great Jim Clark and Alain Prost.

Continued here:

Vettel heads Hamilton in Valencia