Vettel takes pole at Bahrain GP

SAKHIR, Bahrain – Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull will start Formula One’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix from pole position, while Michael Schumacher’s comeback with Mercedes will start from a disappointing seventh place.

Vettel set a fastest time of 1 minute, 54.101 seconds on Saturday to edge Ferrari pair Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso, who have both triumphed at the desert track previously.

Lewis Hamilton of McLaren will start fourth ahead of Nico Rosberg of Mercedes and Red Bull driver Mark Webber.

Seven-time champion Schumacher, racing for the first time in three years, was 1.423 seconds off of Vettel’s pace, but edged ahead of defending champion Jenson Button in eighth for McLaren.

“I just have to get into it,” said Schumacher, who will start from the same position he did on his debut at Belgium in 1991. (AP)