Sochi, Russia (SportsNetwork.com) - Formula One world championship leader Lewis Hamilton claimed his seventh pole of the season after topping his Mercedes teammate, Nico Rosberg, and Williams Valtteri Bottas in Saturdays qualifying for the inaugural Russian Grand Prix. Hamiltons lap around the brand-new Sochi Autodrom was clocked in 1 minute, 38.513 seconds, which beat Rosbergs lap by 0.2 seconds. This 3.637-mile (5.853- kilometer), 18-turn street circuit is located on an Olympic venue. Sochi hosted the XXII Olympic Winter Games in February. Pole is a great place to start, said Hamilton, who will start first in a grand prix for the 38th time in his F1 career. An amazing job done by the team, constantly improving and moving forwards this year. Thanks to them. Were able to be on the front row quite often. Its great to come here (to Sochi). Its a beautiful place, and the weather has been amazing. Really enjoying driving this track. On his final run, Bottas had the quickest time in the first two sectors, but he got loose and ran wide in the final two turns, finishing 0.407 seconds behind Hamilton. I risked it a bit too much in the last two corners, went a little bit wide, and when you go offline, its really slippery like everyone saw. and that was it, Bottas said. Hamilton, who has won the last three grand prix (Italy, Singapore and Japan), enters Sundays Russian GP with a 10-point lead over Rosberg. Every race is important at the moment, Rosberg said. We have four to go. They are all just as important. Today, Lewis was quicker - all weekend really. So, Ive been working hard to try to get close but didnt manage to get closer than those two tenths (of a second) now, but thats the way it is. I need to accept that. Mercedes has swept the front starting row nine times this season, including five straight grand prix, a streak that began in Belgium on the fourth weekend in August. It wasnt the easiest session, Hamilton said of qualifying for the Russian GP. These guys (Rosberg and Bottas) were looking quite strong. Just hooking up a lap from some reason it wasnt the same as practice. But Im really grateful that I got the pole here for the first time. Its going to be tough tomorrow. Its a long way down to turn one, so well find out how that works out. If Hamilton or Rosberg wins this race, then Mercedes will clinch the F1 constructors championship. Mercedes currently holds a 190-point lead over its closest competitor, Red Bull. Jenson Button placed his McLaren fourth on the grid, while Russian Daniil Kvyat from Toro Rosso qualified a career-best fifth in front of his home crowd. It feels great securing P5 in todays qualifying here in my home country, Kvyat said. Im very happy we could put it all together and achieve my best ever qualifying result. The car felt very good and everything worked out well, so well done to the team. Kevin Magnussen from McLaren finished sixth in qualifying, but Magnussen received a five-spot grid penalty for an unscheduled gearbox change. He will start 11th. Magnussens penalty allowed Daniel Ricciardo from Red Bull to move up to sixth on the starting grid, followed by Ferrari drivers Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen. Ricciardos teammate, Sebastian Vettel, the four-time F1 world champion, failed to advance into the final qualifying round for the first time since the Austrian Grand Prix in June. Vettel will start 10th. I wasnt comfortable in the car today, Vettel said. It was very difficult. I think we took a step back from this morning (final practice), and we expected the rear to be a lot stronger and the track to pick up more than it did. The car felt nervous, so I couldnt take the speed into the corners. I lost the rear many times around the lap and therefore wasnt quick enough. Felipe Massa from Williams did not make it into the second round, as he qualified 18th. Massa experienced a fuel pressure problem. I had no real power throughout qualifying, and we were trying different things to resolve this out on track, but in the end, there was nothing I could do, Massa said. Texas Rangers Gear . Nathan Beaulieu, Tomas Jurco, Danick Gauthier and Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and an assist each as the Sea Dogs extended the longest streak in the Canadian Hockey League this season. Cheap Rangers Jerseys . His team rose to the occasion Sunday with a 3-1 victory over Sweden in the bronze-medal game. "The sting from yesterday is not something we hid from or pretend didnt happen," Dineen said. https://www.cheaprangersbaseball.com/. They find themselves trying to knock each other out in the Western Conference finals for the second straight year. The Blackhawks prevailed last year on their way to the Stanley Cup, and they have the early lead this time after taking the opener, 3-1. Texas Rangers Store . Fielder has been out with a herniated disk in his neck, and surgery was recommended after a follow-up exam and another scan Thursday with Dr. Texas Rangers Pro Shop .C. -- After turning Tobacco Road into "Raleigh Top," Tennessee is headed to the round of 16.REGINA -- Corey Chamblin knows who his starting quarterback will be for the next little while. The Saskatchewan Roughriders signed veteran Darian Durant to a multi-year extension Wednesday after leading the club to just its fourth Grey Cup title last year. Knowing he has the 31-year-old Durant for the long-term -- reportedly through the 2016 season -- is a big relief for Chamblin, named the CFLs coach of the year following Saskatchewans Grey Cup championship. "In order to win championships you need to have a quarterback and to win multiple championships you have to have a quarterback who believes in the head coach and I think thats what we have," Chamblin said during a news conference announcing Durants extension. "Its huge to have that security. "Thats the biggest security blanket knowing whos going to be under centre for the next few years." The five-foot-11, 214-pound Durant, a native of Florence, S.C., had one year left on his previous deal. Hes entering his ninth CFL season, all with Saskatchewan. "A lot of guys dont get the opportunity to stay with one franchise their whole career," Durant said. "It was basically a no-brainer for me to stay a part of this organization. "Its the best in the league." And theres certainly continuity at the top as this off-season the Riders have re-signed Durant, Chamblin and general manager Brendan Taman to new extensions. Taman also added the title of vice-president of football operations to his job description Taman called Durants deal "win-win" in that the player receives a fair-market contract that the Riders can afford while the team maintains the nucleus of its roster. "It wasnt about taking as much money as he can get, it was about keeping our team together and that tells you all about Darian," Taman said. "There was a market that was out there that was laid out by other quarterbacks that had signed. "We worked through it and both parties are happy. I think the key in all this is Darian Durant should be recognized as an elite quarterback in this league, which we are prepared to do from our end and were able to get to an agreement with him on a multi-year extension." Exact contract and financial details werent divulged but Durant said his new deal doesnt make him the CFLs highest-paid player in 2014. Its generally regarded B.C. Lions quarterback Travis Lulay enjoys that distinction with a reported salary of about $450,000 this year. Veteran Henry Burris of thee expansion Ottawa Renegades is said to have a similar deal if he can stay healthy this season.dddddddddddd While Durants deal appears to offer the Riders salary-cap savings in 2014, the burning question remains what the quarterbacks average salary might be over the term of the contract. But Chamblin believes Durant can be even better moving forward. "Brendan mentioned him being an elite quarterback, I think Darian has been a very good quarterback," Chamblin said. "Im excited to see him become a great quarterback and one that we can talk about for years." Its not the first time Durant has made a commitment to Saskatchewan. In January 2009 he re-signed with the Riders rather than test the free-agent waters. Durant enjoyed a solid 2013 campaign, passing for 4,154 yards and a league-high 31 TD passes with 12 interceptions. He threw for 550 yards and five TDs with no interceptions in leading Saskatchewan to victory in the West semifinal and final. And then Durant threw for 245 yards and three TDs against Hamilton in the Grey Cup game at Mosaic Stadium, leading Saskatchewan to a 45-23 victory. Durant has completed 1,745 of 2,842 passes (61.4 per cent) for 22,711 yards and 125 touchdowns against 87 interceptions over his career. Hes also a two-time Grey Cup champion, having earned his first championship ring in 07 as a backup with the Riders. But Durants goal is to become the first starting quarterback in Riders history to lead the club to two Grey Cup titles. "If you look at the history of this organization the quarterbacks that have won Grey Cups only have one," he said. "In order for me to separate myself . . . you have to get that second ring and get multiple Grey Cups. "Thats definitely a motivating factor." However, the Riders will definitely sport a different look in 2014. Among the players to leave this off-season are running back Kory Sheets (Oakland, NFL), slotback Weston Dressler (Kansas City, NFL), backup quarterback Drew Willy (Winnipeg, CFL) and defensive tackle Keith Shologan (Ottawa, CFL). "Any time you win theres going to be change, whether its in the coaching staff, the front office or guys looking for raises on other teams," Durant said. "Ive been in this league long enough and played football long enough to know that change is going to come. "I love Dress, I love Sheets, I love those guys to death but the challenge is turning another guy into one of those stars. I look forward to that." ' ' '