23/07/2011
NEWS STORY
It came as no surprise that Sebastian Vettel topped the timesheets in this morning's practice session, even though it was the first time this weekend that he'd eclipsed his rivals.
What did come as a surprise however, is the fact that the top three drivers, Vettel, Mark Webber and Fernando Alonso were covered by just 0.222s. While Red Bull continues to be red hot favourite, the fact is that, as in 2010, Ferrari is not prepared to take things lying down and has every intention of fighting for both titles.
Felipe Massa was seventh quickest, around a second off his teammate's pace, but it is widely thought that he was running a slightly heavier fuel load. Consequently, it looks as though Red Bull and Ferrari have the edge here.
Both McLaren drivers were in the top six, both within 0.7s of Vettel, however, Hamilton, who has dismissed any hope of the Woking team taking pole, remains confident that its race pace will be altogether different.
Behind them, Mercedes appears to have a slight edge over Force India and Williams while Renault has thus far failed to get a grip.
However, all this could prove insignificant should the weathermen - and ladies - prove correct, for it is forecast that there will be rain tomorrow indeed, there might even be a shower or two this afternoon. We shall see.
Tyre options are medium (prime) and soft (option) with the softer compound around a second quicker and good for two hot laps.
Tonio Liuzzi has been handed a 5-spot grid penalty after his team opted to change the gearbox on his car but since his average qualifying position is twenty-second the penalty is hardly earth-shattering.
As the lights go green for the start of Q1, the air temperature is 14 degrees C, while the track temperature is 22 degrees. It remains exceedingly cool and overcast.
Ricciardo is advised that there is a strong headwind on the main straight and into Turn 7, which is the opposite of this morning when there was a tailwind going into Turn 7.
The Virgins of Glock and d'Ambrosio lead the way followed by Liuzzi and Ricciardo.
As Glock begins his flying lap, there are twenty drivers on track. The German posts 1:38.486.
The first round of laps sees Schumacher go quickest (35.368), ahead of Heidfeld, Webber, Hamilton and Sutil.
Alonso goes second but from out of nowhere Alguersuari produces a 34.187 only to be leapfrogged by Webber (34.084).
Despite being blocked by Glock, Hamilton improves with a 32.934 to go quickest as Vettel goes second with a 33.116. Button takes fourth with a 33.513.
With 11:34 on the clock, Petrov, Kobayashi and Perez have yet to leave the make an appearance.
Barrichello posts PBs in all three sectors but can only manage sixteenth (35.646). Hamilton consolidates his top spot with a 32.934 but appears to be pushing his McLaren to the absolute limit.
A 32.916 sees Alonso go quickest, as Webber improves to third ahead of Vettel, Button and Massa. Schumacher misses the chicane, which, incidentally, he helped design.
With 5:45 on the clock, Perez goes sixth (33.743) as Kobayashi and Petrov finally leave the pits. The Japanese driver immediately goes eighth (33.949) while the Russian posts 33.187 to go fifth despite losing time in the final sector behind two slower cars.
Alonso, Hamilton, Vettel and Webber appear to have settled for their times, while Barrichello is still firmly entrenched in the danger zone with teammate Maldonado hovering. However, the Venezuelan goes fourth (on softs) as Heidfeld goes quickest (32.603) and Schumacher second.
Massa goes quickest (31.826), the Brazilian using one of his sets of softs, as Sutil hoes second with a 32.286. Moments later, di Resta posts 32.651 to go fifth, the Scot also gambling with a set of softs.
Rosberg improves from eighteenth to sixth with a 32.785 putting Barrichello and Kobayashi in danger. As The Brazilian seeks to improve, the Japanese is in the pits, his session over.
Quickest was Massa, ahead of Sutil, Heidfeld, Schumacher, di Resta, Rosberg, Alonso, Hamilton, Vettel and Maldonado.
We lose Kobayashi, Kovalainen, Glock, Chandhok, d'Ambrosio, Liuzzi and Ricciardo.
Massa and Perez lead the way as Q2 gets underway, the Brazilian already under pressure having used a set of his softs in Q1.
As Massa begins his flying lap, all but Heidfeld, Maldonado, Buemi and Alguersuari are on track. Those dark clouds are still threatening.
Massa posts 31.792 with Perez crossing the line at 33.845. However, moments later Alonso takes the top spot with a 31.150.
Hamilton, on softs, goes quickest in S1, finally crossing the line at 30.998 to go quickest. If McLaren are the also-rans here somebody clearly forgot to tell Lewis.
A 31.017 sees Vettel go second, as Button goes fourth and Webber fifth.
As the replay shows Alonso running wide at Turn 1, Petrov posts 32.875 to go sixth. Schumacher can only manage ninth, the German posting 32.897.
Webber improves to fourth with a 31.311 as Schumacher admits that he made a mistake in the final chicane, the German working furiously in the cockpit of the Mercedes.
It's only Q2 but Hamilton's pace has caught everyone off guard.
Relying on just one run, Alguersuari goes fifteenth as Buemi and Maldonado begin their first flying laps of this phase of proceedings.
The Swiss can only manage fourteenth (33.546) while the Venezuelan goes an impressive ninth with a 32.635. However, with 2:35 on the clock there's still a long way to go and a lot can still happen.
The top six are happy with their times, leaving Rosberg, Heidfeld et al to battle for the remaining four slots.
Di Resta goes ninth (32.560), but Schumacher and Sutil are still on track. Schumacher loses a heap of time in S2 but a strong S3 sees him go eighth with a 32.180. Sutil posts 31.809 to go seventh, thereby dropping his teammate into the drop zone, as Petrov does the same for his teammate.
A late charge sees Rosberg go quickest in S3 and fifth overall, the German posting an impressive 31.343.
Quickest was Hamilton, ahead of Vettel, Alonso, Webber, Rosberg, Button, Massa, Sutil, Petrov and Schumacher.
We lose Heidfeld, di Resta, Maldonado, Barrichello, Perez, Buemi and Alguersuari.
As the lights go green we wonder whether Vettel will do the usual, exactly what he needs to do when he needs to do it, whether teammate Webber can frustrate the German on home soil or whether Hamilton can turn the form book completely on its head.
Webber, Hamilton, Button, Alonso, Massa and Petrov are eager to get to work, all, as one might expect, on softs.
As the flying laps begin, Hamilton is quickest in S1, Alonso in S2. The Spaniard crosses the line at 30.866 with Petrov posting 321.690 to go second.
Moments later Hamilton posts 30.725 to go quickest but Webber is on a mighty charge, crossing the line at 30.251, eclipsing the McLaren driver by 0.5s.
Vettel is on track but after two sectors he's off the pace, crossing the line at 30.352 to go second, 0.101s off his teammate's pace.
Schumacher, Rosberg and Sutil are clearly intending just one run, while Alonso is, contrary to expectations, 0.6s off the pace and fourth.
As Schumacher, Rosberg and Sutil begin their flying laps, the remaining seven drivers leave the pits. Curiously, booth Mercedes drivers back off and look to set their times on their second lap.
Webber goes quickest in S1 however, Hamilton and Alonso are also steaming. The Australian is quickest again in S2 but Hamilton maintains his pace. Alonso can only mange 30.442 to go third.
Webber posts 30.079 while Hamilton goes second with a 30.134. Vettel is pushing but can only manage 30.216 and remains third.
"That was a very, very good lap," says Christian Horner over the team radio, a masterpiece of understatement, as the Australian takes his second successive pole.
"That was a great lap," says Hamilton over his radio, "that was a wicked lap". And so it was, as was Webber's.
Vettel starts from third, ahead Alonso, Massa, Button, Sutil, Petrov and Schumacher.
Both Webber and Hamilton are grinning from ear to ear at the weigh in, as well they might. Exactly whose lap was the better, well, considering the equipment at his disposal, and his not so great expectations, it has to be Lewis, though full credit to Mark.
While Vettel will be disappointed to start third, Alonso will be wondering where his pace disappeared to, the Spaniard surely expecting more this afternoon. Than again, one of the most frustrated guys out there will be Button, who was 1.1s off the pace of his teammate.
No doubt the Englishman, and a number of his rivals, will be hoping that the weather 'experts' have got it right and that we do see some rain tomorrow.
To check out our Nurburgring qualifying gallery, click here.