08/05/2010
NEWS STORY
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Ahead of today's all-important qualifying session, the air temperature is 20 degrees, while the track temperature is 35 degrees. It remains bright and sunny.
Red Bull continued to set the pace this morning with Sebastian Vettel out-pacing his teammate by 0.704s. The McLaren duo of Hamilton and Button were third and fourth, both drivers feeling that their Milton Keynes rivals have even more in reserve.
Michael Schumacher appears far more comfortable with his updated car, complete with longer wheelbase, the Mercedes driver edging out former teammate Felipe Massa and current teammate Nico Rosberg.
Local hero Fernando Alonso finished a disappointing ninth - certainly in terms of the partisan crowd - ahead of Kubica and Sutil.
For the second successive race the Renault crew has its work cut out after Vitaly Petrov went off into the barriers this morning badly damaging his car. The Russian lost control of his car on the kerbs at Turn 4 which were still wet following overnight rain.
Tyre options this weekend are hard (prime) and soft (option), the soft only appearing to be good for one really fast lap. While Vettel set his fastest lap on the option tyre this morning, teammate Webber was on the harder compound.
Kamui Kobayashi went off at the same corner as Petrov this morning, though not sustaining any damage. Indeed, the Japanese driver was able to continue once the session was re-started after being red flagged. The Saubers are looking a lot better this weekend, no doubt beefed up by their new sponsor, Burger King.
Williams have been somewhat disappointing thus far, while force India is not looking as strong has it did in some of the previous rounds. Toro Rosso has also been looking stronger this weekend while Lotus continues to be best of the newcomers.
Having run its version of the F-duct yesterday, Ferrari is to continue with the controversial device today even though both drivers appeared to be having problems with it on Friday, Felipe Massa at one time being advised how best to use it from Rob Smedley… whilst on a hot lap.
After four races, it's worth noting that not once so far has the pole-sitter gone on to win the race. Based on the evidence thus far this weekend, its likely that this run is about to change with Vettel almost a shoe-in for pole and the top step of the podium. Time will tell.
Four drivers face grid penalties this afternoon. The Virgin duo of Timo Glock and Lucas di Grassi are both penalised after their team failed to notify the FIA of its intended gear ratios in time while Karun Chandhok and Vital Petrov are punished for changing the gearboxes in their cars, the Russian damaging his in this morning's crash.
The lights go green for Q1, Kovalainen is straight out, much to the delight of the crowd which fills the air with its cheers and airhorn blasts. The Lotus driver is joined by his teammate, veteran Italian, Jarno Trulli.
Kovalainen crosses the line at 26.048, however, this is almost instantly beaten by Trulli who posts 25.527.
Massa is one of the first out on track, joined by his teammate, Fernando Alonso. The Brazilian posts 23.068 while his teammate crosses the line at 23.121.
All but Vettel, Webber, Petrov and Chandhok are on track as Alonso - having gone quickest in the first two sectors - does it again in the third, posting 1:22.572 at the line.
The two Mercedes are slipstreaming one another on the main straight as Button goes second with a 22.716.
Hulkenberg goes third with a 22.857 as Hamilton looks set to improve on his 28.4774. Sure enough, the McLaren driver goes quickest with a 22.083 as Kubica goes second. Schumacher goes eighth (23.327) and Rosberg fifteenth.
Button takes the top spot with a 21.915 but his teammate is on a very, very quick lap. The 2008 world champion posts 21.723 to go quickest as the Red Bull duo begin their first flying laps of the afternoon.
Webber goes third with a 21.965, the Australian - like everyone else - running on the harder tyre for now.
Vettel posts 22.243 to go fourth, he German only quickest in the middle sector.
With just over six minutes remaining, Petrov and Liuzzi are still in the danger zone. The Russian, let's not forget, face a five-place penalty.
Vettel posts 21.894 to go second only to be leapfrogged by his teammate who posts 21.412 to go quickest overall. Liuzzi posts 23.322 to go twelfth, just ahead of Schumacher.
An excellent effort from Petrov sees the Renault driver go ninth (23.018), however, his rivals are also improving and in no time at all he has dropped to thirteenth.
As Webber, Vettel, Hamilton and Button sit it out in the pits, Schumacher improves to seventh. Alonso goes quickest in the second sector and de la Rosa goes sixth overall.
Barrichello fails to improve on 23.125 and therefore fails to make the cut. Ironically, the Brazilian's car is the one with fitted with all the latest updates.
Along with Barrichello, we also lose Trulli, Kovalainen, Glock, di Grassi, Chandhok and Senna.
Webber was quickest, ahead of Vettel, Hamilton, Button, Alonso, de la Rosa, Rosberg, Kubica, Schumacher and Massa.
The lights go green for Q2 and Liuzzi first out of the box, the Italian, on softs, keen match the pace of his German teammate. He is followed, moments later, by Webber and Vettel, both on the harder tyre. Unusual to see the Red Bull out this early, especially Vettel.
Liuzzi posts 22.982, the Force India looking quite a handful. Vettel posts 24.197, having lost time in traffic, while Webber posts 21.198.
Hamilton posts 21.574 to go second while Alonso goes third and Sutil fourth. Vettel crosses the line at 21.189 to go quickest, no traffic problems this time around.
As Webber goes quickest (21.112), Schumacher and Rosberg are the last to leave the pits. Vettel improves with a 21.116 but remains second.
Kubica splits the Ferraris to take sixth but is demoted when Schumacher goes third with a 21.557. Rosberg posts 36.415 - yes 36.415 - having made a mistake in the final sector, however, next time around he posts 21.867 to go ninth.
With just over five minutes remaining, all but Rosberg are in the pits. As the German head back to his garage, Hamilton leaves, the all-important final phase is just about to begin.
Hamilton improves to third with a 21.415 as both Red Bull, now on softs, look set to go even quicker. Vettel crosses the line at 20.772 only to be eclipsed by his Australian teammate who posts 20.665.
Button goes third (21.168), as Alonso goes fifth with a 21.549. However, next time around the Spaniard goes quickest in the first sector. A late charge see Kobayashi go sixth, he must be on fumes.
We lose Sutil, de la Rosa, Hulkenberg, Petrov, Buemi, Alguersuari and Liuzzi. That's both Force Indias and both Toro Rossos out.
Webber was quickest, ahead of Vettel, Button, Hamilton, Alonso, Schumacher, Kubica, Kobayashi, Massa and Rosberg.
Asked why he didn't make it into Q2, Rubens Barrichello said that the various upgrades on the car "didn't work". Not the sort of thing that Sir Frank and Patrick will want to hear.
Robert Kubica cruises down the pitlane arriving at the end just as the lights go green, Q3 is underway. Button and Hamilton soon join him.
Replay shows that Alonso left his garage without seeing Rosberg, the German lucky not to be forced into the pit wall. It will be interesting to see if there are repercussions. Rosberg certainly seems to think so, telling his crew that "Alonso should be punished for that". In Spain? You'll be lucky.
Kubica posts 22.038 but Hamilton and Alonso are both on very quick laps. Button goes second but a 21.413 sees his McLaren teammate go quickest overall.
Schumacher posts 21.836 to go third as Vettel and Webber both look set to post very quick times. Vettel posts 20.342 to go quickest but this almost instantly eclipsed by Webber who posts 20.239. Massa is sixth, ahead of Alonso, Kubica and Rosberg, while Kobayashi has yet to post a time.
As the Red Bulls head back to the pits, Kobayashi leaves. Is he on a very, very low fuel run merely to attract some glory for his team and its new (Spanish based) sponsor?
As The Sauber driver begins his flying lap, Vettel is the first of the main pack to leave the pits.
With 1:38 on the clock, all but Schumacher are on track.
Kobayashi posts 21.984 to go seventh, however, all eyes are on Vettel and Webber.
The German goes quickest in the first sector, and again in the second. However, Webber and Alonso are also looking very good.
Vettel posts 20.101 to take provisional pole, however, Webber posts 19.995 to snatch it straight back.
Rosberg goes fourth only to be demoted by Kubica. Hamilton takes third but Schumacher is still on track. The German crosses the line at 21.294 to take sixth, out-qualifying his teammate for the first time this season.
So, phew! Webber will start tomorrow's race from pole, ahead of Vettel, Hamilton, Alonso, Button, Schumacher, Kubica, Rosberg, Massa and Kobayashi.
A fantastic final shoot-out with Webber upsetting the form book with a lap of which he can be justifiably proud. Vettel's lap was also superb, however, the fact is that his teammate is in no mood to stand aside for the young German, and why should he?
The claims that McLaren was sandbagging would appear to be false, however, Hamilton has to be happy with third, just as Alonso will be delighted with fourth. That said, it will be interesting to see if there is any come back following that pitlane incident.
Button - like his teammate - has said that McLaren has to improve its qualifying performance, however, the fact is that the Red Bulls are in a class of their own and therefore fifth has to be the best the world champion could really hope for.
Michael Schumacher had a wry smile on his face at the weigh in, and its easy to see why. The changes to his car are clearly working and at last we're beginning to see the Schumi of old, much to the disappointment of the British media.
A great performance from Kubica as Renault continues to impress. If his teammate can only learn to stay out of trouble in Saturday free practice the French team could well be a real contender for fourth in the Constructors' Championship.
Sauber needed a morale booster and Kamui Kobayashi has provided it, indeed, bearing in mind the team's new sponsor, it was a large portion as opposed to regular.
Force India will be disappointed not to have at least one driver in the top ten, as will Toro Rosso, while Williams clearly has much work to do.
Looking ahead to tomorrow, it appears that it is Red Bull's race to lose, and neither Webber nor Vettel look to be in the mood to to do that.