SAKHIR, Bahrein – Germany’s Nico Rosberg is poised to increase his lead in the Formula One drivers’ standings after grabbing pole position for Sunday’s Bahrein Grand Prix, the third race of the season.

Rosberg recorded a fastest lap of 1:33.185 at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir in the final round of Saturday’s qualifying.

He beat out second-place qualifier and Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton, who had claimed pole position at the first two races of the 2014 F1 season: the Australian Grand Prix and the Malaysian Grand Prix.

It was Rosberg’s fifth pole of his career and first of the current season.

German four-time defending F1 champion Sebastian Vettel, who drives for Red Bull, continued to struggle at the start of 2014 and will start 10th alongside Spanish Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso.

Finnish Williams driver Valtteri Bottas will start third and be joined on the second row by Mexico’s Sergio Perez, who drives for Force India.

Finland’s Kimi Raikkonen, who drives for Ferrari, and British McLaren driver Jenson Button will start on the third row, while Brazil’s Felipe Massa (Williams) and Denmark’s Kevin Magnussen (McLaren) will be on the fourth row.

Rosberg leads the drivers’ standings after two races with 43 points, while Hamilton is in second place with 25 points and Alonso is in third with 24 points.