Two-time defending champ Vettel takes pole at F1 Korean Grand Prix

YEONGAM -- Two-time defending champion Sebastian Vettel took the pole at the Formula One Korean Grand Prix here on Saturday.

The Red Bull star posted the fastest lap of 1 minute and 37.202 seconds in the qualifying race on the Korea International Circuit in Yeongam, about 400 kilometers south of Seoul.

Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes finished 0.218 second behind the German.

The final race of the only F1 stop in South Korea is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Sunday.

It is the third-consecutive and the sixth-ever pole of the 2013 season for Vettel, who holds a 60-point lead over Fernando Alonso of Ferrari in the drivers' standings. Vettel is gunning for his fourth consecutive season-end drivers' championship.

Vettel has won seven of 13 races of this year so far, including the past three in a row.

Mark Webber of Red Bull was the third fastest but will actually start the final in 13th after a 10-place penalty he received following the Singpore Grand Prix last month. Romain Grosjean, driving a Lotus, was fourth ahead of Niko Rosberg of Mercedes.

(Yonhap News)