Sochi: Valtteri Bottas upstaged his championship-leading Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton with a dazzling lap in Saturday’s qualifying session to seize pole position for the Russian Grand Prix.

The Finn, who has struggled to keep pace with the defending four-time champion for much of the season, relished the confines of one of his favourite tracks as he clocked a record lap in one minute and 31.387 seconds.

His late fastest lap lifted him ahead of Hamilton, who aborted his final lap after running wide at Turn Seven, and put a grin back on his face as the Mercedes pair delivered another front row lockout. It was his second pole this year and the sixth of his career.

Bottas claimed his maiden Formula One victory in Russia last year and showed a clear affinity with the track as Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari, who trails Hamilton by 40 points in the title race, took third.

Vettel’s Sauber-bound Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen wound up fourth ahead of Kevin Magnussen of Haas, job-hunting Frenchman Esteban Ocon of Force India and Ferrari-bound Charles LecLerc of Sauber.

Sergio Perez, in the second Force India, was eighth ahead of Romain Grosjean in the second Haas and Marcus Ericsson in the second Sauber.

The two Red Bulls did not qualify for the top-10 shoot-out, knowing they face engine penalties that will mean they start Sunday’s race from the back of the grid along with both Toro Rosso cars and Fernando Alonso’s McLaren.

“He’s driven brilliantly this weekend and he just did a better job,” said Hamilton, who had been fastest in the first two parts of the session and looked set for a career 80th pole until he went wide at turn seven.

“My last two laps of Q3 weren’t great — you can’t always have it — but we’re still in contention for tomorrow,” added the Briton, who will be chasing his eighth win of the campaign.

Vettel, who had led an all-Ferrari front row in Russia last year with Bottas third, hoped Sunday could see the tables turned.

“I just spoke to Valtteri and reminded him what happened last year so maybe we can turn that around this time,” the German told reporters.

“It was important to get as close to them but it is true they have been very quick. It is a long race and the tyres will be important. We should’ve been a lot closer,” he added.

“The car felt alright so that makes me happy. If there is a gap we will go for it.”