WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Formula One championship leader Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes grabbed pole position in qualifying tournament of the US Grand Prix on Saturday.
Hamilton clocked a fastest lap time of 1 minute 33.108 seconds to edge Ferrari rival Sebastian Vettel by 0.239 seconds for his 72nd career pole.
Hamilton's teammate Valtteri Bottas was third ahead of Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo.
In the drivers' standings, Hamilton leads on 306 points, 59 more than second-placed Vettel. Hamilton will seal the title in Sunday's race if he can win and Vettel fails to finish in the top five.
"The team have done a great job, the track was very difficult with the wind picking up," Hamilton said.
"But I love this track and it is such a fantastic track to drive. It is always hot in the car, it is just the right temperature in qualifying. It is going to be a great race, a tough one, but I'm the best prepared I can be."
Vettel, the four-time F1 champion, will be desperate to push for the win with just four races to go this season.
"I was happy in the end with the car," Vettel said. "We lacked the rhythm in the first sector going into the second, but came good when it mattered."
"It would be good to win the other races as well as this one, but we'll take each day as it comes."
