'I think we got pretty close to the Mercedes,' Ricciardo said. Ferrari is winless after 11 races this year, with 10 remaining. The Red Bulls managed to finish ahead of the two Ferraris. It should be a good day for Mercedes tomorrow,' Hamilton said. 'I had the pace today, just didn't finish it off. I had no problems,' said a disappointed looking Hamilton, giving brief answers at the post-qualifying news conference. Nico Rosberg also started from pole in Hungary last Sunday but was beaten to the first turn by Hamilton, who went on to win the race and take over the lead in the standings. Nico Rosberg was one year old at the time. He finished fifth in the race, won by Nelson Piquet. Keke Rosberg, Nico's father, won pole in Hockenheim 30 years ago.

No German driver has won back-to-back races at home. Rosberg won the last race here in 2014 from pole. Three-time world champion Hamilton, winner of the last two titles, has won five of the last six races and leads Rosberg by six points in the standings. The Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel will be in the third row. 107 seconds behind Rosberg, with Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen taking the second row on the grid in their Red Bulls.

'A great lap, especially since I had extra fuel, I had fuel for three laps in case something went wrong and I had to do an extra lap,' Rosberg said after his 27thth career pole. Rosberg was the fastest in all three practice runs and set the pace again in the final of the three qualifying sessions Saturday, putting together just one late lap after experiencing problems with the throttle.

HOCKENHEIM, Germany (AP) - Nico Rosberg beat Mercedes teammate and Formula One championship leader Lewis Hamilton to take pole position for Sunday's German Grand Prix.

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