Mark Webber set the fastest time in qualifying for the first time in 2012 at the Korean Grand Prix at Yeongam to take pole position ahead of Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel.

The gap was just 0.074 seconds and crucially, Webber did four laps more than Vettel throughout the three segments of qualifying. Vettel’s 13 laps were three fewer than anyone else in the top ten.

Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen, Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen, Felipe Massa, Romain Grosjean, Nico Hulkenberg, Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher rounded out the top ten.

Alonso is trying desperately to hang on to a four-point lead ahead of Sebastian Vettel. However, at this point, it seems as if the Spaniard will end up six to nine points behind Vettel. If, of course, he’s lucky enough to finish the race. His retirements in Belgium and Japan have cost him dear and with the increased competitiveness of Red Bull and McLaren a third championship looks unlikely for the fiesty Spaniard.

The other talking point of the session is Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg who managed to outqualify both Mercedes drivers. Crucially, Hulkenberg also outqualified teammate Paul Di Resta who managed just 14th on the grid.

Hulkenberg has been rumored to be in contention for a seat at Sauber to replace the departing Sergio Perez while Di Resta has been left out in the cold a bit due to Lewis Hamilton’s surprise move to Mercedes to replace Michael Schumacher.

While a Red Bull 1-2 seems a forgone conclusion it should still be a tense fifty-five laps on Sunday.