Sebastian Vettel takes Hockenheim pole

Sebastian Vettel continues to make it clearer and clearer that he is the man to beat for the 2018 Formula 1 driver championship as he pursues his fifth career title and first since 2013.

For the fifth time this season, the German qualified on pole in his Ferrari, and he did so this time for his home race, the German Grand Prix. Meanwhile, his chief title rival Lewis Hamilton made it into Q2 but did not compete in it due to gearbox issues and a hydraulic failure in his Mercedes. His provisional starting position is P14.

Hamilton was not the only driver among the top three teams to have issues. Daniel Ricciardo is set to start the race from the back of the grid in his Red Bull do to an engine penalty, so while he advanced to Q2, he, like Hamilton, did not compete in it. His provisional starting position is P20.

The other three Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull drivers qualified in the top four behind Vettel. Valtteri Bottas qualified in P2 while Kimi Raikkonen qualified in P3 and Max Verstappen qualified in P4.

The race is scheduled for Sunday at 9:10 a.m. ET.

Qualifying results

1 - Sebastian Vettel - No. 5, Scuderia Ferrari, Ferrari

2 - Valtteri Bottas - No. 77, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, Mercedes

3 - Kimi Raikkonen - No. 7, Scuderia Ferrari, Ferrari

4 - Max Verstappen - No. 33, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, Renault

5 - Kevin Magnussen - No. 20, Haas, Ferrari

6 - Romain Grosjean - No. 8, Haas, Ferrari

7 - Nico Hulkenberg - No. 27, Renault Sport, Renault

8 - Carlos Sainz Jr. - No. 55, Renault Sport, Renault

9 - Charles Leclerc - No. 16, Alfa Romeo Sauber, Ferrari

10 - Sergio Perez - No. 11, Sahara Force India, Mercedes

11 - Fernando Alonso - No. 14, McLaren, Renault

12 - Sergey Sirotkin - No. 35, Williams Martini Racing, Mercedes

13 - Marcus Ericsson - No. 9, Alfa Romeo Sauber, Ferrari

14 - Lewis Hamilton - No. 44, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, Mercedes

15 - Daniel Ricciardo - No. 3, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, Renault

16 - Esteban Ocon - No. 31, Sahara Force India, Mercedes

17 - Pierre Gasly - No. 10, Scuderia Toro Rosso, Honda

18 - Brendon Hartley - No. 28, Scuderia Toro Rosso, Honda

19 - Lance Stroll - No. 18, Williams Martini Racing, Mercedes

20 - Stoffel Vandoorne - No. 2, McLaren, Renault