31/10/2009
NEWS STORY
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Ahead of today's all-important qualifying session the air temperature is 30 degrees while the track temperature is 33 degrees.
This morning's free practice session reinforced the feeling that McLaren and Brawn are the real pace-setters here, with Jenson Button edging out Lewis Hamilton by just 0.002s.
Surprisingly, both Red Bulls were over 0.7s off the pace, while the BMWs, Sebastien Buemi and Jarno Trulli were thereabouts.
Interestingly, there appears to be little to choose at this stage between the prime (medium) and option (tyres) a situation which will be further complicated by the difference in temperatures as day turn to night.
At the other end of the timesheets, the Ferraris have been disappointing, a fact that is clearly frustrating Luca di Montezemolo who is leading a party of Maranello top brass here. Renault have also been disappointing, as have Williams.
However, this is such a prestigious event, it would come as no surprise to see a rank outsider take pole on fumes, thereby grabbing the all-important headlines in the Sunday newspapers as the world looks upon this amazing new complex. While Renault and Toyota both have history of such tactics, as one looks at the vast Ferrari World building that sits alongside the Yas Marina Circuit, it would surprise no-one to see the Maranello outfit pull a similar stunt.
It is 16:55 local time, sunset is due at 17.43. Wind speed is 4.7 mps, while the humidity is 56 percent.
A very welcome visitor to the McLaren garage is Ron Dennis who 'quit' his role with his team earlier this year in the wake of the lie-gate scandal. Great to see him back.
The lights go green and Alguersuari, who didn't take part in this morning's session, is first out, followed by Kovalainen, Fisichella and a whole load of others, indeed, there are seventeen cars on track almost from the outset. Only Hamilton, Webber and Vettel remain in their garages.
Alguersuari crosses the line at 46.161, however, this is soon beaten by Grosjean and then Raikkonen. The Frenchman is having a difficult weekend and there are serious doubts about his future in F1.
The action is frantic and its almost impossible to keep track as Heidfeld, Fisichella, Alonso, Rosberg and Kubica all take turns at the top of the timesheets.
A 41.916 sees Button go quickest, as Trulli posts 42.015 to go second. Elsewhere, Hamilton heads down the pitlane. Webber and Vettel resolutely sit it out.
As Hamilton begins his first flying lap, Raikkonen goes second to Kubica, only to be split by Trulli who posts 41.683.
Hamilton crosses the line at 41.037 to go quickest, however, teammate Kovalainen spins and subsequently heads straight back to the pits.
Raikkonen improves to second (41.206), as the Red Bull duo finally get to work. Elsewhere, newly elected FIA president Jean Todt meets and greets in the Renault garage under the watching eye of his right-hand man Richard Woods.
Both McLaren drivers on the pace, Hamilton quickest in sector two, Kovalainen in sector one. Hamilton raises the benchmark with a 40.365 while his teammate fails to improve.
Vettel, on the option tyre, can only manage tenth, as Alguersuari goes seventh. Very impressive.
Hamilton goes quickest in the first two sectors, finally crossing the line at 39.873, the first man to dip into the 1:39s this weekend. Raikkonen remains second while Vettel moves up to third ahead of Kubica and Trulli.
With just over five minutes remaining all twenty drivers are on track with Rosberg, Grosjean, Liuzzi, Kobayashi and Fisichella all in the danger zone. However, Kovalainen is hardly what one could call safe, the Finn currently fifteenth.
As Vettel improves to second (41.017), Kovalainen goes fifth with a 41.669. Button in ninth and Barrichello in thirteenth.
A late charge sees Kubica go second (40.936), as Grosjean spin for the umpteenth time this weekend.
Rosberg improves to fourth which drops Sutil into the danger zone. Heidfeld makes it a BMW 2-3 when he posts 40.902 to go second.
Kobayashi improves to thirteenth, as fellow Japanese driver Nakajima hovers just above the danger zone.
A 40.667 sees Webber go second only to be leapfrogged by his teammate who crosses the line at 40.558.
A late improvement sees Buemi go sixth, as Kobayashi moves up to twelfth.
Barrichello posts (40.574) to go fourth, as Alonso and Kovalainen both seek to escape serious embarrassment. The Finn fails to improve but fifteenth is enough to see him make it through to Q2, however, the Spaniard isn't so fortunate and fails to make the cut. Raikkonen gets through by the skin of his teeth, but all in all poor performances from all three drivers.
Quickest was Hamilton, ahead of Button, Trulli, Kubica, Heidfeld, Barrichello, Vettel, Weber, Kovalainen and Rosberg.
However, we lose Alonso, after one of his worst qualifying performances we can recall, Liuzzi, Sutil, Grosjean and Fisichella.
The lights go green signalling the start of Q2, but as the sun sinks ever lower in the sky there appears to be no real desire to get to work. After almost two minutes, Kovalainen heads down the pitlane followed by Buemi.
As Kovalainen begins his first flying lap, Hamilton, Raikkonen and Webber leave their garages.
Kovalainen posts 40.983 as Arsenal score two goals in seconds to go 2-0 against Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium. Elsewhere, in Chichester, Mike Lawrence opens a bottle of Champagne.
As Kovalainen heads back to the pits to switch to the prime tyre, all the other 15 drivers are on track.
Hamilton (option) goes quickest in the first two sectors, crossing the line at 40.542 to take the top spot. Buemi goes second ahead of Kovalainen, Webber and Vettel.
It's all over for Kovalainen who stops in the final sector. As the car is pushed to safety it appears to be a technical failure rather than an incident.
Webber goes quickest in the first sector, eventually crossing the line at 40.357 to go quickest.
Vettel posts 40.324 to take the top spot from his Red Bull teammate, only to be leapfrogged by his teammate who crosses the line at 40.272. Both drivers are on the harder tyre, and against all odds they improve on successive laps.
A 40.201 sees Button go quickest, however Vettel hits back with a 39.984. Moments later, Hamilton steals back the top spot with a 39.695, the Englishman really on form here this weekend.
As the flag is waved, Rosberg, Alguersuari, Nakajima and Kobayashi are all in the danger zone.
A late improvement sees Rosberg improve to tenth, and thereby through to Q3, however, this is to the detriment of Raikkonen who fails to make the cut as do Kobayashi, Nakajima and Alguersuari. Kovalainen also fails to make it through to Q3.
Quickest was Hamilton, ahead of Vettel, Button, Webber, Trulli, Barrichello, Buemi, Kubica, Heidfeld and Rosberg.
In minutes we have gone from natural daylight to floodlights, the final phase gets underway.
Button goes quickest in the first sector, but it is Buemi who posts the first time, crossing the line at 46.967. Moments later, Heidfeld goes quickest with a 44.563 while teammate Kubica goes third.
A 46.058 sees Vettel go second, as Vettel and Kubica both look set to improve.
Buemi re-takes the top spot with a 43.045, however Kubica and then Webber almost immediately go quicker, the Australian posting 42.421.
A 42.318 sees Button go quickest as Brawn teammate Barrichello takes fourth with a 42.442.
From out of nowhere, Trulli produces a 42.318 to take provisional pole, however, all eyes are on Barrichello who goes quickest in the first two sectors. Elsewhere, Webber make a costly mistake and ruins his lap.
The Brazilian crosses the line at 41.952 to take provisional pole, however, Hamilton is on a very hot lap. The Englishman crosses the line at 41.773 to go quickest.
The clock ticks down to 41, 40, 39 seconds, but no purple sectors, has Hamilton done enough?
Trulli improves to second having gone quickest in the final sector. However, Barrichello and Hamilton are both on hot laps and setting very fast sector times.
Webber goes quickest with a 41.726 only to be beaten by his Red Bull teammate who posts 41.615. However, all eyes are on Hamilton who is still on track to spoil the Milton Keynes outfit's day. Sure enough, the McLaren driver crosses the line at 40.948 to take his fourth pole of the year.
The session ends with Hamilton quickest, ahead of Vettel, Webber, Barrichello, Button, Trulli, Kubica, Heidfeld, Rosberg and Buemi.
A fantastic performance from the 2008 champion, however, there were sterling efforts from the Red Bull and Brawn drivers also, likewise Trulli and the BMW duo.
It remains very close, and while McLaren - certainly in the form of Hamilton - appears to have the advantage, Red Bull and Brawn are very much on the pace.
While there has been endless praise heaped on this facility, it would be fantastic to see the racing take centre stage tomorrow, much as it did in Brazil. If the final stages of this session are anything to go by we could be in for a treat.
That said, it will be interesting to see the fuel loads, after all, on this day of trick or treats...