(CNN) -- The numbers keep stacking up for Sebastian Vettel. On Sunday he will start on pole position for the 36th time in the 100th race of his Formula One career, with the opportunity to become the sport's youngest triple world champion. The 25-year-old will clinch his third successive title if he wins his sixth race this season and main rival Fernando Alonso finishes lower than fourth at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. The Spaniard, who has a 10-point deficit to make up with two races to go, will start the U.S. Grand Prix in eighth place -- having been bumped up the grid after Lotus' Romain Grosjean was dropped five spots for an illegal gearbox change during Saturday's qualifying.
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Championship leader Sebastian Vettel wins pole position for U.S. Grand Prix
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Title rival Fernando Alonso will start race eighth on grid after Romain Grosjean's penalty
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Ferrari driver has 10-point deficit behind Vettel with two races remaining this season
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Vettel's Red Bull team can clinch third successive constructors' title on Sunday
"I still think we are going to reduce the gap to Sebastian, which is what counts," said @placeholder, himself a two-time world champion.