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Red Bull hog front row at Melbourne

RED Bull lived up to expectations today with Sebastian Vettel denying disappointed team mate Mark Webber pole position for the Australian's home grand prix.

The German, still only 22 but heavily fancied for this year's Formula One title, lapped Albert Park's tight street circuit in one minute 23.919 under overcast skies for his second pole in two races.

While the Red Bull drivers showed their pace in locking out the front row, Lewis Hamilton's troubles continued at the Albert Park circuit.

The Briton qualified his McLaren only 11th, the morning after being booked by police and having his Mercedes impounded for "improper" driving after leaving the track.

Vettel, who finished fourth in the Bahrain season-opener after a spark plug failure robbed him of the lead, will be chasing Red Bull's fourth win in five races tomorrow.

"First of all it was a great result for both of us and the team," the German, who won four races last year and was runner-up in the championship, told reporters.

"I think that's a great achievement -- it's better than having two Ferraris up here.

"I think the car has been working well yesterday already."

Webber, bidding to become his country's first home winner, was just over a tenth of a second slower than Vettel and felt disappointed after setting the early pace in the third session.

"Not really (happy), I would love to be on pole," said the Australian.

"It's a lot better than my qualifying in Bahrain ... In the end I did my best."

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, winner on his debut for the Italian team in Bahrain, will line up third on the grid with McLaren's world champion Jenson Button.

Michael Schumacher, the seven times world champion who made a comeback to F1 in Bahrain after a three-year absence, qualified seventh, one place behind Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg.

Alonso's Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa will start fifth on the grid.



 

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