Lewis Hamilton’s first competitive action since winning the world championship lasted less than two minutes as he crashed out of qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Hamilton, who clinched his fourth Formula One title at the last race in Mexico, lost control of his Mercedes at 260km/h through turn six of the Interlagos circuit before thudding into the tyre barrier.

His teammate Valtteri Bottas took pole position. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel will join the Finn on the front row of the starting grid with his Finnish team mate Kimi Raikkonen third and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen fourth.

Red Bull’s Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo was fifth but incurred a 10-place grid penalty and will start from 15th.

“It is a good feeling,” said Bottas, who is just 15 points behind Vettel in the race for second place in this year’s championship. “It was a nice lap and I was so close with Sebastian through qualifying so it was great to get a good lap in.

“Lewis was out at the beginning which is a shame for us, but I stood up for the team.”

Hamilton, who clinched his fourth world championship in Mexico two weeks ago, had been hoping for a 12th pole of the season but spun into the barrier at turn seven in the opening session.

The 32-year-old Englishman remained in his cockpit for some moments before informing his team that he was not injured in the high-speed smash.

Hamilton’s car sustained significant damage in the incident, and he will now start Sunday’s race, the penultimate grand prix of the season, from the back of the field.

“I’m OK. It happened really quickly,” Hamilton told Sky Sports.

“I tend to just look at it as challenges are what makes life interesting and overcoming them makes life meaningful.

“I just need to take whatever bubble of negativity comes from that experience and move forwards and try and grow from it.

“It’s very unusual from me but it shows we are all human and things happen.

“I will try to have as much fun as possible tomorrow. Years ago I came from quite far behind and had a great race.”