Valtteri Bottas has claimed pole position ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton at the Chinese Grand Prix with Mercedes ruling qualifying for the 1000th Formula One race.

Bottas, who is championship leader, recorded 1 minute 31.547 seconds around the 5.451-kilometre Shanghai International Circuit on Saturday for his first pole of the season and seventh overall.

“It has been a good weekend so far,” he said.

“I struggled to get the perfect lap in but it was good enough.”

Title holder Hamilton was 23 hundredths of a second back while Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel was three-tenths behind in third and his team-mate Charles Leclerc fourth on Sunday’s grid.

“I didn’t give up and kept pushing right to the end,” he said.

“Valtteri has been stellar all weekend. I have struggled. There is time left on the table but I will try and get it back tomorrow.”

Qualifying featured only 19 cars because Alexander Albon’s Toro Rosso could not be repaired in time after the Thai driver had a heavy practice crash. He walked away unharmed but will start at the back.

with PA