Championship leader Fernando Alonso of Ferrari secured pole position on Saturday for the German Grand Prix,while two-time defending world champion Sebastian Vettel came second in his bid to win his home Formula One race for the first time. Vettels Red Bull teammate Mark Webber of Australia,who won the British Grand Prix two weeks ago,was third fastest but will be dropped five places on Sundays grid because of a gearbox change. As a result,seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher of Germany move up from fourth to third in his Mercedes. putting him in position to win a record fifth race on the Hockenheim circuit. Schumacher still has to win a grand prix in the third season of his comeback. Alonso has a 13-point lead over Webber heading into the 10th of 20 races this season and is looking for his third win of the year after victories in the Malaysian and European Grand Prix,clearly didnt enjoy driving todays water-logged circuit despite taking pole position. It wasnt fun for sure, the Spaniard said. The conditions were on the limit but they were the same for everybody, Alonso said. There was a lot of aquaplaning. I think we made a good strategic position to stop and change tires late in the third session,that helped us a lot. Nico Hulkenberg of Force Indiawas fifth fastest for the session in his Force India and Pastor Maldonado of Venezuela came in sixth in his Williams. Both will also move up a position after Webbers penalty. After a dry first session,a loud burst of thunder followed a heavy storm that drenched the circuit during the second session. The cars began slipping all over the track,but there were no major incidents. The rain stopped in time for the third session,though the track remained covered by water. McLaren teammates Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton will start sixth and seventh. Sauber's Mexican driver,Sergio Perez,was also dropped five places on the grid after qualifying in 12th,for impeding other cars,including Alonso's.
