More from Lewis Hamilton: "We had a difficult start to the season last time we were here so we are definitely hoping for a better start and for both cars to succeed tomorrow. There is a lot of work still to be done and hopefully a good fight with Nico."

Lewis Hamilton, who will start on pole in the Australian Grand Prix: "It has been a great start to the weekend. It doesn't feel like a long time since the last race. We found a good balance today and it was just about pushing those laps. It is so much fun in qualifying pushing those single laps."

Ethan Robinson: Williams have gone under the radar a little - fantastic qualifying session.

Wasiyullah Budye: Hamilton on Pole for #AusGP. The champ was absolutely flying out there. Good news for #TeamLH

Mercedes have locked out the front row at the last nine consecutive races.

Felipe Massa qualifies in the top three for the first time at Melbourne in his career.

Byron FOXX Mubaiwa: Lap time by @LewisHamilton MIGHTY!

Henry Bayne: Go HAM

Rian Hoskins: Vettel to Ferrari could be compared to Hamilton to Mercedes. Seems wrong when announced but turns out to be the right move.

1) Lewis Hamilton 2) Nico Rosberg 3) Felipe Massa 4) Sebastian Vettel 5) Kimi Raikkonen 6) Valtteri Bottas 7) Daniel Ricciardo 8) Carlos Sainz 9) Romain Grosjean 10) Pastor Maldonado

11) Felipe Nasr 12) Max Verstappen 13) Daniil Kvyat 14) Nico Hulkenberg 15) Sergio Perez 16) Marcus Ericsson 17) Jenson Button 18) Kevin Magnussen

James Allen
BBC Radio 5 live commentator

"Hamilton is on a different planet."

Image source, AP

LEWIS HAMILTON SECURES POLE POSITION FOR THE AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX

Nico Rosberg is round with a 1:26.921 but it is not going to be good enough, over a half a second off Lewis Hamilton's benchmark.

Hope for Nico Rosberg as Lewis Hamilton reports vibration on his tyres again.

Allan McNish
BBC Radio 5 live analyst

"If Nico Rosberg can tidy up the first sector then there is a chance. If he does not do that, then there is no chance."

The tyre covers come off and out roll the cars for the final two minutes. Here we go...

Mercedes:, external Not how Nico Rosberg would have wanted to kick off Q3 we're sure - but there's still time..

Allan McNish
BBC Radio 5 live analyst

"Lewis Hamilton is in the sweet seat. What a lap that was."

Sebastian Vettel is second fastest after the first runs with a 1:27.757, followed by Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen, Pastor Maldonado, Daniel Ricciardo, Romain Grosjean and Carlos Sainz.

Lewis Hamilton is up and running with a 1:26.419 and lays down the marker to the rest of the top 10.

Nico Rosberg's hopes of bettering that are hit as he goes off at the penultimate corner. He now has one chance to try and snatch pole.

Valtteri Bottas has to abort his lap as he locks up into turn one. "The bite of the brakes is not good" he says over team radio.

Allan McNish
BBC Radio 5 live analyst

"Now the cars are all streaming out. Bottas, Grosjean, Maldonado are all out on the circuit, Hamilton is just taking the tyre covers off and will enter the circuit soon."

Here we go then. The top-10 shoot-out is under way and in 12 minutes we will know who will start the Australian Grand Prix on pole.

Robert Skuriat: Really nice of @McLarenF1 taking some pressure off @Manor_F1team by taking their place at the back of the grid.

James Humberstone: Come on Bottas. Big push for the second row now.

Andrew Griffiths: Lotus quietly getting on with it.