Brazilian Grand Prix 2017 RECAP: Bottas secures pole after Hamilton crash

Hamilton clinched a fourth F1 Drivers' Championship victory in Mexico last time out.

But that does not mean the 32-year-old will take his foot off the accelerator this afternoon.

However, Mercedes' preparations for today's race have been hampered with the team being held up by armed robbers in Brazil.

Hamilton himself was not involved but tweeted: "This is so upsetting to hear. Please say a prayer for my guys who are here as professionals today even if shaken.

"This happens every single year here. F1 and the teams need to do more, there's no excuse!"

In a statement, Mercedes said: "Valuables were stolen but everybody is safe and uninjured which is the main thing."

Malaysia Grand Prix 2017 Q1 results

OUT in Q1: Wehrlein, Gassi, Stroll, Ericsson, Hamilton

OUT IN Q2: Ocon, Grosjean, Vandoorne, Magnussen, Hartley

TOP: Bottas, Vettel, Raikonnen

Brazilian Grand Prix 2017 qualifying LIVE - latest updates from Interlagos

17:47: Thanks for joining us today.

Tune in tomorrow for the main event. 

17:36: Kimi Raikonnen has also reacted to today's race.

"I felt I could have been better but it was a bit tricky to get the tyres to get the right window.

"The last run was better but it wasn't enough.

"I think we improved the car for today and the weather can change quickly. It will be a long race and we will do our best."

17:16 Sebastian Vettel: "It's alright. For tomorrow I think it's fine but I'd have loved to be ahead.

17:30: Sebastian Vettel is fine with finishing second today.

"It's alright. For tomorrow I think it's fine but I'd have loved to be ahead.

"I think I chickened out a little bit on the brakes for the final run into Turn One and lost a bit too much time. From there the lap was fine but I knew I had a bit left in the last corner which I got but by then I was too much behind.

"I was happy with my first lap. I think it was OK. Three hundredths you always think there's somewhere you can get that. Our long run looked good, especially to Valtteri, so let's see what happens."

17:19: A chuffed Bottas has been speaking to Sky Sports.

"I feel good. Still a bit shaky but it's a good feeling," he said. 

"It was so close with Sebastian all through the qualifying but I got a good lap at the end.

"Lewis out in the beginning was a shame for us but I'm glad I could stand up for us and the team.

"It's really good to start on pole here. We have a good car and it will still be close with Ferrari and I'm looking forward to tomorrow."

17:13: Bottas takes pole!

The Finn finished with a time of 1:08.322 to pinch pole position by 0.038s.

Vettel finishes in second, with Raikkonen in third. 

What a stunning afternoon for Mercedes.

17:08: Bottas absolutely soaring now.

Vettel is still keeping pace but faces a battle to leapfrog him at the top. 

17:04: Plenty of drama so far today - but it's not done yet.

Q3 is now underway.

16:58: Lewis Hamilton has discussed his Brazilian Grand Prix nightmare.

“I’m OK. It happened really quick," he said. 

“It is what it is. Of course it’s unfortunate. 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.”

16:54: Q2 comes to an end.

Ocon, Grosjean, Vandoorne, Magnussen and Hartley's day is all done.

Vettel, Bottas, Verstappen,Raikkonen and Ricciardo all make up the top five.

Alonso, Massa, Huldenberg, Perez and Sainz are in the top 10.

16:49: Nearly the end of Q2. Stay with us to see who drops out...

16:40: The BBC’s Tom Clarkson has been really impressed with Bottas’ day so far.

“Bottas is rising to the occassion,” he said. 

“He's been clinging onto Hamilton all week but he's looked very calm and composed. 

“The car is producing less down-force but Bottas with a brilliant lap there.”

16:38: Bottas starts Q2 with a huge 1:08:901.

Vettel is tenth down on the Finn with Raikkonen even further behind the Mercedes star.

Max Verstappen in around half a second off the pace. 

16:30: That's it for Q1 then.

Wehrlein, Gassi, Stroll and Ericsson join Hamilton in the drop zone.

Raikkonen, Bottas, Vettel, Massa and Verstappen occupy the top five spots.

Ricardo, Hulkenberg, Perez, Grosjean, Ocon make up the rest of the top 10.

16:21: Sky Sports’ Martin Brundle thinks Ferrari could benefit from Hamilton’s bad luck.

"That will have energised Ferrari quite a lot to see Hamilton in the barriers," he said.

"That has opened up the way for a victory."

16:14: Mercedes' hopes all lie on Bottas then.

The 28-year-old can still clinch second in the F1 Drivers' Championship.

The Finn goes quickest with a time of 1:10.053.

16:11: And we're back underway.

16:07: What a start to today's race. Hamilton has well and truly had a mare. 

The BBC's Tom Clarkson said: "Extraordinary scenes. He was maybe being quite aggressive on that short lap.

"He’s now going to be sat at the back of the grid!

"I think it was a driver error but we’ll see shortly what happened."

16:03: OH MY WORD. It's all happening already.

Hamilton has hit the barriers and will start at the back of the grid. 

That means he is OUT of Q1. Was the slippery surface to blame? 

16:00: And we're off!

15:50: 10 minutes to go until it all kicks off then.

Stay tuned for all the latest on how Hamilton, Vettel, Verstappen and Bottas all get on.

15:40: So what is the weather going to do today?

BBC's Andrew Benson has got the latest from the people in the know.

"Weather update from FIA: Forecast has changed for Saturday," he said.

"Chances of rain significantly less than expected, 30% chance of light scattered rain."

15:35: Speaking before Mercedes' gun trauma, Hamilton outlined his prediction for today's race.

And, unsurprisingly, the 32-year-old is expecting it to be a tight affair.

"We've started off on the right foot," said Hamilton after practice at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace. 

"We're in a decent position but I think it could be quite close."

15:30: Good afternoon and welcome to Express Sport's LIVE Brazilian Grand Prix qualifying blog.

Valterri Bottas pipped Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton by just 0.003 seconds in final practice before today's qualifying race.

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel finished third and fourth as the top four were separated by just 0.058secs.

Red Bull struggled with Max Verstappen ninth after a spin and Daniel Ricciardo fifth.

But McLaren's Fernando Alonso rolled back the years to finish in sixth.