25/09/2010
NEWS STORY
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Ahead of today's vital qualifying session, the air temperature is 29 degrees C, while the track temperature is 27 degrees. Humidity is 80 percent. Although it hasn't rained for several hours, indeed, long before the practice session, parts of the circuit still remain damp.
Red Bull have been quickest in all three practice sessions with Sebastian Vettel, in particular, looking very good here. Not for the first time, the RB6 appears to be in a class of its own, over a second quicker than its closest rivals.
Of its two championship rivals, Ferrari appears to have a slight edge over McLaren though the Woking team should never be written off.
Naturally, with just five races remaining, attention is focussed mainly on the five-way fight for the Drivers' Championship, not to mention the three way battle for the teams' championship. However, there are others out to prove a point this weekend, with Renault keen to overhaul Mercedes and the battle between Force India and Williams for sixth. After all, while the Drivers' Championship has the prestige it is the Constructors' Championship that bring in the dosh and like Bruce Forsyth used to say… "points make prizes".
Therefore keep an eye not only on the teams, especially the newbies, but those drivers that haven't yet secured a deal for next season. There's everything to play for.
Tyre options are medium (prime) and super-soft (option) with Vettel able to get two or three very fast laps out of the option tyres earlier today.
When the lights go green the Mercedes duo are amongst the first out. Surprisingly, Hamilton is also eager to get out there as soon as possible.
As Schumacher is told that his team has lost telemetry, the German gets horribly out of shape in Turn 5, one of the dampest corners on the circuit.
Liuzzi posts the first time of the afternoon, the Italian crossing the line at 1:50.223. Moments later Hamilton posts 48.454.
We've learned from the earlier sessions that traffic is a problem here, and this will particularly be the case in Q1.
A 48.254 sees Button take the top spot from his teammate, however, moments later Vettel splits them with a 48.357. Schumacher posts 48.425 to go third.
Alonso goes quickest in sectors two and three, crossing the line at 47.623 to go quickest. Moments later, Vettel re-takes the position as Alguersuari goes third.
On his second flying lap Webber goes third as Vettel improves yet again, the German crossing the line at 46.960. "Problem with the car," says Massa, his car having stopped out on track. As the Brazilian climbs from his car the red session is red flagged.
As the Ferrari is pushed to safety, the order is: Vettel, Alonso, Webber, Button, Alguersuari, Hamilton, Schumacher, Rosberg, Heidfeld and Liuzzi. No times for Barrichello, Hulkenberg, Kubica, Sutil or the hapless Massa.
The session resumes at 22:15 (local time), the Williams duo leading the way. Alonso is also keen to get back to work.
In the Mercedes garage Schumacher climbs from his car, which suggests the German might have a problem.
Hulkenberg - who will lose five positions after his team changed his gearbox - goes twelfth with a 49.454. Moments later he is demoted when his teammate goes eleventh with a 49.228.
Kubica posts 47.657 to go third, in the eyes of many the Pole is a real dark horse this weekend.
Alonso takes the top spot with a 46.541 having gone quickest in the final two sectors. Elsewhere, Senna spins after losing the back end however, he is able to get going again.
The session ends with Alonso quickest, ahead of Vettel, Webber, Kubica, Hulkenberg, Button, Alguersuari, Barrichello, Hamilton and Schumacher.
We lose Glock, Kovalainen, di Grassi, Trulli, Klien, Senna and Massa.
Both Red Bulls are keen to get Q2 under way, however, it is Petrov and Toro Rosso's Alguersuari who heads the queue.
On his out lap Alonso appears to have a problem, he tells to check the engine mapping. Elsewhere, Liuzzi gets Turn 10 all wrong, essentially missing the second half.
Alonso is told to pit in order that the team can make some changes however, the Spaniard wants a banker lap - just in case. His team agrees. Elsewhere, Petrov spins at Turn 4 clouts the wall and breaks his right-rear suspension. Game over!
Vettel is quickest, ahead of Kubica and Webber, while Alonso posts 47.557 to go fourth. That's some banker lap.
Hamilton goes quickest in S1 and again in S2, at the line the McLaren driver posts 46.042 to go quickest. Moments later, Button goes third with a 46.681.
In the Ferrari garage the crew is working frantically on Alonso's car. Schumacher is 11s off the pace.
With 6:20 on the clock, Alonso - currently eighth - is back on track. Shortly after he is joined by Vettel. "It's all OK now," says Alonso, "all OK". "Very good," is the response.
With less than four minutes remaining all seventeen drivers are on track - all except Petrov that is.
Vettel goes quickest in S1 however, it is Alonso who goes quickest, the Spaniard posting 45.809.
Vettel goes quickest in the first two sectors, the German finally crossing the line at 45.561.
Vettel, Alonso, Hamilton and Button top the timesheets with Webber down in eighth.
Schumacher improves to ninth with a 47.160 as Alguersuari makes a late attempt to escape the danger zone. The Spaniard fails to improve as does Hulkenberg, both miss the cut.
Therefore, at the end of Q2, it's: Vettel, Alonso, Webber, Hamilton, Button, Rosberg, Kubica, Barrichello, Schumacher and Kobayashi.
We lose Alguersuari, Hulkenberg, Petrov, Buemi, Heidfeld, Sutil and Liuzzi.
Button and Hamilton head the queue at the end of the pitlane for Q3, the length of the circuit, and the fact there are only ten minutes, means that every second is vital, especially if a driver wants two runs. Alonso, third in the queue, is right behind his former teammate. Barrichello, Kubica and Kobayashi remain in their garages, all three clearly aiming for just one run. That said, Barrichello heads down the pitlane.
Both McLaren drivers looking very aggressive, Button posting 46.185 only to be eclipsed by his teammate who crosses the line at 45.571. Alonso takes provisional pole with a 45.390 as Vettel posts a disappointing 47.937.
Webber goes third with a 46.010 as Barrichello posts 46.236 to go fifth. Vettel slips down to seventh.
The drivers pit for fresh rubber, with just under three minutes on the clock the final phase is about to begin.
Vettel goes quickest in S1, the young German under tremendous pressure. Poor first sectors for Hamilton, Webber and Button.
Vettel loses ground in S2 as Alonso keeps him honest. At the line it's 45.457 only good enough for second. Button goes quickest in S2 however while he fails to dislodge Alonso he does at least snatch fourth from Webber.
So, Fernando Alonso takes pole, ahead of Vettel, Hamilton, Button, Webber, Barrichello, Rosberg, Kubica, Schumacher and Kobayashi.
Following his scare in Q2, Alonso will be delighted to have takes pole, though Massa's problem has seriously dented the Maranello outfit's Constructors' Championship hopes.
Having been the pace-setter for much of the weekend, Vettel will be hugely disappointed with second even though the gap is just 0.067s. With overtaking almost impossible here, the German will be well worth watching at the start of tomorrow's race.
The McLaren duo take the second row with Button staging a late comeback, while Webber will be disappointed to be starting from fifth.
With the five title protagonists starting from the first five positions on the grid, fans cans expect some fun tomorrow afternoon however, other than Fernando Alonso, the happiest man in Singapore has to be Bernie Ecclestone.
To check out our Singapore qualifying gallery, click here