09/07/2011
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's all-important qualifying session, the air temperature is 20 degrees C, while the track temperature is 26 degrees. After yesterday's rain, conditions are much improved today - despite a couple of little showers this morning - however, being England, and summer, it would be foolish to take the weather for granted.
Despite the ongoing row over the blown diffuser, which according to Red Bull is hurting the Milton Keynes outfit more than most, Sebastian Vettel was quickest this morning with teammate Mark Webber third.
Both Ferraris were up there, while Force India and Sauber are looking good, indeed, so was Williams. The McLarens are not as close to the Red Bulls as we might have expected while Mercedes is also struggling.
Tyre options this weekend are hard (prime) and soft (option), while, unlike the previous two races, there is only one DRS zone.
Two guys really in the spotlight today, other than the usual suspects, are Paul di Resta - making his F1 debut at home - and Daniel Ricciardo who is making his F1 debut.
With most of the drivers limited to twenty laps of dry running so far this weekend, in many ways we are heading into the unknown.
The lights go green and di Resta leads the way with Hamilton, Button and Alonso close behind. Indeed, as the cars head off into the arena section there are predictions of rain within the next ten minutes or so. There are certainly some dark clouds moving in.
Just one minute into the session all twenty-four drivers are on track. Almost all appear to be on the prime tyre.
Di Resta crosses the line at 36.372, however, a 33.741 sees Alonso go quickest, just as Vettel is informed that there is "light rain at Copse". Massa goes second (33.754), ahead of Barrichello and Maldonado.
As Webber goes third (34.096), Kovalainen (on options) posts 34.923 to go eighth.
Vettel goes quickest with a 33.555 but Alonso looks set to improve having gone quickest in S1. However, the Spaniard goes off into the grass and gravel at Luffield.
Barrichello goes quickest with a 33.532 but moments later he is leapfrogged by Webber (33.044) as Red Bull show no after effects of this morning's FIA ruling.
No sooner has Massa gone quickest than the Brazilian is eclipsed by fellow south American Maldonado who crosses the beam at 32.702.
With 10:21 on the clock, all the usual suspects fill the danger zone along with the Toro Rosso duo. Kovalainen is now sixteenth.
Watched by Ron Dennis, Hamilton goes sixth (33.581) and Button eleventh (34.230).
2010 winner Mark Webber re-takes the top spot, the Australian posting 32.670 while Trulli is informed that he is the only driver only getting one good lap out of his option tyres.
With 6:10 on the clock rain is falling on the start/finish straight, bad news for Alguersuari and Buemi but good news for Kovalainen who is currently sixteenth. Meanwhile, for reasons known only to themselves, McLaren have sent Hamilton out on softs.
As the rain falls ever harder, the front runners watch from the comfort of their garages while Alguersuari, Buemi and Glock try to improve but fail miserably.
With Q1 effectively over, Webber is quickest, ahead of Maldonado, Massa, Vettel, Alonso, Barrichello, Hamilton, Perez, Schumacher and Rosberg.
We lose Alguersuari, Buemi, Glock, Trulli, d'Ambrosio, Liuzzi and Ricciardo.
Even though the rain appears to have stopped and the track drying, Kovalainen is told that conditions will worsen and that he'll be going out on inters.
As the lights go green for Q2 a number of drivers, including Rosberg and Schumacher, follow Kovalainen's example. Heidfeld is on options, however it is still quite wet at Copse.
At the end of his lap, Rosberg dives into the pits, while Heidfeld posts 41.657 and Barrichello (39.208) and Maldonado 37.703, both Williams on option tyres. Schumacher (inters) can only manage 42.471.
Vettel, being surprisingly cautious, posts a 47.878 on his first lap. Meanwhile, Perez goes quickest with a 36.221. only to be monumentally eclipsed by Webber's 35.098 and then Sutil's 34.872.
With 7:07 on the clock, Vettel, who is still ninth, dives into the pits. All eyes on the skies as Alonso, Rosberg, di Resta, Massa and Kovalainen have yet to post a time. Button is tenth and Hamilton twelfth.
A 37.612 sees Alonso go seventh as teammate Massa heads down the pitlane. Next time around the Spaniard goes quickest in the first sector, both Ferraris on the option tyre.
Alonso ups the ante with a 31.727 while Hamilton goes second with a 32.505.
Schumacher goes third (33.052) but is demoted by fellow German Vettel who posts 32.379 to go second.
No sooner has Webber gone quickest (31.673) than he is demoted by Massa's 31.640. Rosberg is still in the danger zone, as are di Resta, Barrichello and the Saubers. Kovalainen is twelfth.
Kobayashi goes sixth and Rosberg fourth as Schumacher slips down to twelfth.
Sutil goes tenth however, despite PBs in all three sectors Schumacher remains twelfth.
A late charge sees Button improve to fourth (32.273), four spots ahead of his teammate.
Quickest was Massa, ahead of Webber, Alonso, Button, Rosberg, Vettel, Kobayashi, Hamilton, di Resta and Maldonado.
We lose Sutil, Perez, Schumacher, Petrov, Barrichello, Heidfeld and Kovalainen after a difficult phase in which the changing conditions caught out a number of drivers.
With dark clouds moving in, it comes as no surprise that there is a mad scramble to get out on track for a 'banker' lap. With option tyres and enough fuel for one hot lap, Vettel, Webber, Hamilton, Button, Alonso, Massa and Rosberg get to work, followed, a minute later by Maldonado and di Resta.
Vettel and Webber trade fastest sectors, the German crossing the line at 30.431 while his teammate posts 30.399. Rosberg goes third with a 32.209 only to be demoted by Alonso and Massa. Hamilton can only manage eighth (32.376).
Di Resta goes sixth with a 31.929, the Scot no doubt hoping that the heavens open up with a vengeance.
Kobayashi is finally on track, the Sauber driver going eighth with a 32.128.
Frustratingly, the timing sheets are not showing Massa, di Resta or Kobayashi.
With 3:00 on the clock Button heads down the pitlane, just as the first spots of rain begin to fall. He is soon joined by his rivals, though di Resta, Maldonado and Kobayashi appear to have called it a day.
"There is rain at the south end of the circuit," Button is told. The Englishman visibly backs off. Indeed, only Rosberg posts a PB (S1) as the rest of the drivers ease off. The Mercedes driver maintains his pace in S2 however, following a slight wobble at the start of a damp Hangar Straight he backs off.
Consequently, 2010 winner Mark Webber will start from pole, ahead of Vettel, Alonso, Massa, Button, di Resta, Maldonado, Kobayashi, Rosberg and Hamilton.
Despite the best efforts of the powers that be, Red Bull continues to frustrate the rule makers and its rivals, the Austrian outfit completing its fourth front row lock-out of the season.
The Ferrari have row two to themselves, while Button is joined by di Resta, the Scot enjoying a dream debut at his home event.
While it will be fun to watch Maldonado and Kobayashi from starting from the fourth row, surely all eyes will be on Rosberg and Hamilton who start behind them.
With the weather having played a major part in proceeding so far this weekend, you'll either be delighted or disappointed to learn that the outlook for tomorrow is sunshine and temperatures reaching 21 degrees.
However, this is England, in the summer, and in terms of the weather, much like Formula One, anything can, and usually does, happen.
To check out our Silverstone qualifying gallery, click here.