SYDNEY, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Mercedes team Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton took pole position for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne late Saturday, setting a lap record at the qualifying session in the lead-up to Sunday's main race.

Five-time world champion Hamilton clocked the record of the Albert Park street circuit with a one minute 20.486 seconds to snatch the initiative from teammate Valtteri Bottas, marking the front-runner's sixth consecutive pole start at the circuit and a record-equaling eighth at the Australian Grand Prix, race organizers said in a statement. Sunday marks the start of the 2019 F1 season.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel took third place at the qualifying session, clocking one minute 21.19 seconds, behind Bottas' one minute 20.598 seconds. Local favorite Daniel Ricciardo, driving for Renault, failed to make it to the top 10.

"Yesterday, Ferrari were with us. We were heavy on fuel, and then when we dropped fuel we were on par in terms of performance. Then all of a sudden, they lost some performance this morning, which is not what I was expecting," Hamilton was quoted by organizers as saying.

"It's a difficult circuit and it's dusty, it could be a number of things ... I'm grateful for where our car is and I know Ferrari will be pushing hard and progressing in the coming days," he said.