th . ▁ ▁The ▁third ▁part ▁of ▁qual ifying ▁determined ▁pole ▁position ▁and ▁only ▁the ▁two ▁Mer cedes ▁drivers ▁set ▁two ▁tim ed ▁la ps . ▁After ▁he ▁clock ed ▁in ▁behind ▁both ▁Ferr ari ▁drivers ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁run , ▁Ros berg ▁improved ▁to ▁second ▁place ▁on ▁his ▁second ▁time ▁out , ▁but ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁challenge ▁team mate ▁Hamilton , ▁who ▁took ▁the ▁f ift i eth ▁pole ▁position ▁of ▁his ▁career . ▁Every ▁other ▁driver ▁was ▁limited ▁to ▁only ▁one ▁tim ed ▁lap ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁end , ▁the ▁two ▁Ferr ari ▁cars ▁of ▁V ett el ▁and ▁R ä ikk ön en ▁locked ▁out ▁the ▁second ▁row ▁on ▁the ▁grid ▁ahead ▁of ▁Max ▁Ver st appen ▁and ▁F eli pe ▁Mass a . ▁Sain z ▁and ▁Ric ci ardo ▁rounded ▁up ▁the ▁top ▁eight ▁on ▁the ▁grid . ▁Therefore , ▁Q 3 ▁saw ▁little ▁running ▁with ▁the ▁final ▁positions ▁determined ▁very ▁early ▁on ▁and ▁drivers ▁exit ing ▁their ▁cars ▁five ▁minutes ▁before ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁qual ifying . ▁ ▁Post - qual ifying ▁The ▁new ▁qual ifying ▁format ▁was ▁critic ised ▁immediately ▁after ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁session ▁by ▁p und its , ▁drivers ▁and ▁team ▁personnel ▁al ike . ▁Sky ▁Sports ▁comment ator ▁Martin ▁Bru nd le ▁called ▁for ▁a ▁swift ▁revision ▁of ▁the ▁rules , ▁saying ▁the ▁procedure ▁was ▁" not ▁acceptable " ▁and ▁calling ▁for ▁it ▁to ▁be ▁abandoned ▁before ▁the ▁next ▁race . ▁Mer cedes ' s ▁executive ▁director ▁T oto ▁Wol ff ▁and ▁former