Lewis Hamilton will chase the Formula One world championship from the No. 2 position at the United States Grand Prix after Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg grabbed pole in a rain-shortened qualifying session.
Heavy rains have pounded the Circuit of the Americas for three days. Race officials allowed only two qualifying rounds Sunday as conditions worsened in a session that had been delayed from Saturday.
Hamilton can clinch his second consecutive world championship and third overall if he outscores Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel by nine points and Rosberg by two. Rosberg started on the pole here last year before Hamilton won.
Formula One was forced to use its first Sunday qualifying since 2013 and fourth overall since 2004. Rain was still falling when the drivers took the track.
Hamilton called the wet conditions "quite fun." Race officials expect better conditions as rain chances are forecast to decrease Sunday afternoon.
