Aussie Mark Webber qualified seventh fastest for the Belgian Grand Prix at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, but will start from 12th after being handed a five grid place penalty for changing gearboxes after practice.
McLaren driver Jenson Button has taken pole for the race, his first for McLaren Mercedes in what will be his 50th race for the team.
Button posted not one, but two ripper times in Q3 and will start from the front for the first time since the 2009 Monaco Grand Prix when he was driving for Brawn Mercedes – the year he won the Formula 1 World Driver’s Championship.
Japanese Sauber driver Kamui Kobayashi will start alongside him in his first ever F1 front row start.
Williams pilot Pasta Maldonado will start from third while Lotus veteran Kimi Raikkonen will join him on the second row.
Webber’s teammate Sebastian Vettel will start from 10th after missing out on a spot in the final session (but moves up a position because of Webber’s demotion) by just 0.012sec.
Fellow Aussie Daniel Ricciardo will start from 16th position despite setting the sixth fastest time in Q2.
Kobayashi’s Sauber teammate Sergio Perez will start beside Ferrari’s championship leading driver Fernando Alonso on row three. Behind them will be McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Lotus’ Romain Grosjean.
1. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 01:47.6
2. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 01:47.9
3. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 01:47.9
4. Kimi Räikkönen Lotus-Renault 01:48.2
5. Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 01:48.2
6. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 01:48.3
7. Mark Webber Red Bull Racing-Renault 01:48.4
8. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 01:48.4
9. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 01:48.5
10. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 01:48.9
11. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing-Renault 01:48.8
12. Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 01:48.9
13. Michael Schumacher Mercedes 01:49.1
14. Felipe Massa Ferrari 01:49.1
15. Jean-Eric Vergne STR-Ferrari 01:49.4
16. Daniel Ricciardo STR-Ferrari 01:49.5
17. Bruno Senna Williams-Renault 01:50.1
18. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 01:50.2
19. Heikki Kovalainen Caterham-Renault 01:51.7
20. Vitaly Petrov Caterham-Renault 01:52.0
21. Timo Glock Marussia-Cosworth 01:52.3
22. Pedro de la Rosa HRT-Cosworth 01:53.0
23. Charles Pic Marussia-Cosworth 01:53.5
24. Narain Karthikeyan HRT-Cosworth 01:55.0
