Vettel dominates Istanbul qualifying

Sebastian Vettel was fastest in all three qualifying sessions today at Istanbul and picked up his second pole position of the season for Red Bull.

Pole position changed hands three times in the final moments of a terrific session. First Mark Webber grabbed it, then Jenson Button went faster, but Vettel got the lap which mattered.

Jenson Button again had a quiet build up, with various set up issues to be resolved in practice, but delievered a big lap at the end to start alongside Vettel on the front row. But the early indications are that the Brawn may have a lap or two more fuel onboard, which could count in their favour tactically in the race.

Rubens Barrichello was third, but went his own way in Q3; whereas Vettel and Button went with the soft tyre, Barrichello did three consecutive laps on the hard tyre, the last of which gave him third place.

Mark Webber was very late going out in Q2 and managed to get through to Q3 with only one run in that session and never looked like he had the pace of his team mate. He was a tenth slower in Q1, four tenths in Q2 and three tenths in Q3.

Jarno Trulli did a good job to restore some pride to Toyota after a couple of tough weekends. He lines up 5th, but was second fastest in Q2 , whereas team mate Glock was eliminated in Q2 and lines up 13th on the grid tomorrow.

McLaren had a tough day, the car is clearly not confidence inspiring in fast corners. Hekki Kovalainen is 14th on the grid, while Lewis Hamilton was eliminated in Q1 for the second race in a row. He is enduring the kind of time that Jenson Button was having this time last year.

Fuel weights should be out around 3pm UK time and we will have a better idea then of how the race will unfold.