Vettel on pole, Hamilton out in Q1

Sebastian Vettel on Saturday kept his championship dream alive by putting his Red Bull on pole position for the Turkish Grand Prix.

The German, 28 points behind Jenson Button in the drivers' standings, pipped the championship leader to the front of the first row at the Istanbul Park circuit.

"If early season form is anything to go by, the Red Bulls are lighter than we are but we will have to see," Ross Brawn, referring to the fact that the FIA will publish the cars' qualifying weights later on, told the BBC.

Vettel's teammate Mark Webber is fourth, just behind Rubens Barrichello's Brawn. The Ferraris are sixth and seventh, with the winner of the last three Turkish Grands Prix, Felipe Massa, behind the sister red car.

Vettel was also fastest in the Q1 and Q2 segments.

"After my engine problems yesterday, I was confident we could do something today," he said. "The last couple of races have not gone our way but finally we are ahead of the white-car guys!"

In total contrast, it was an awful session for reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton, who was slower than his teammate and eliminated in the initial Q1 session.

"It's the car, it just got slower and slower throughout the weekend as the track has got hotter," the McLaren driver said.