10/09/2011
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's qualifying session the air temperature is 29 degrees C, while the track temperature is 44 degrees. It is bright and sunny, like yesterday afternoon when, guess what, Sebastian Vettel was quickest.
The German lead a Red Bull 1-2 this morning - not the first time you've read that line - as the Austrian team defies the naysayers and looks ready to tick another box in the history books.
While McLaren will give Vettel and his teammate a run for their money, the McLaren outfit, based on what we've seen so far, doesn't have an answer - then again, nobody, even Red Bull themselves - was expecting the Austrian team to be quite so strong.
However, the big surprise is that Ferrari is clearly struggling, despite the warmer temperatures, despite the home support and despite the various updates.
While Mercedes had looked a lot better this weekend, Force India improved this morning while Sauber and Renault remain rooted in the midfield despite promise from the Swiss outfit on Friday.
There are two tyre options this weekend, medium (prime) and soft (option). Interestingly, the softs are not significantly faster than the mediums - certainly not to the degree seen elsewhere - but they are good for a couple of hot laps. This should lead to some interesting tyre strategies.
For the first time ever there are two distinct DRS zones, one on the run from the second Lesmo to Ascari and the other on the main straight.
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo waves to the crowds opposite the Ferrari garage, however, it remains to be seen whether the Italian team will have anything to celebrate today or indeed tomorrow.
The lights have barely gone green when Trulli roars out on to the track to get the session underway. He is soon joined by Kovalainen, Ricciardo, Liuzzi, Glock and d'Ambrosio.
Trulli posts the first time of the afternoon however, he appeared to be having problems with a Sauber which was on an out lap. Elsewhere, as Alonso heads down the pitlane, Kovalainen gets to experience the revised speed bumps at the second chicane (Roggia).
Following the first wave, Alguersuari is quickest, ahead of Perez, di Resta, Trulli and Sutil. However, Button goes quickest in S2 finally crossing the line at 24.872, almost 2s quicker than the previous best.
As di Resta improves to second (25.303), Alonso begins his first flying lap.
Vettel posts 25.027 to go second however, moments later he's leapfrogged by Alonso who posts a 25.000.
Hamilton makes it a McLaren 1-2 with 24.476 however, a 24.002 sees Vettel take the top spot. Button's 24.190 sees the 2009 champ go second.
The yellow flags are waved when Maldonado spins and clouts the barriers exiting the Parabolica, ripping off the nose on the Williams in the process. With the Venezuelan yet to post a time there are still 10:15 on the clock.
Alonso improves to third as Massa goes fifth with a 25.142. Rosberg is sixth but Mercedes teammate Schumacher is down in sixteenth.
Maldonado reveals that he lost the car the moment he opened his rear wing as Schumacher improves to sixth, the Mercedes duo really fast in S1.
On his first flying lap Webber goes seventh, the Australian crossing the line at 25.077. Rosberg goes quickest in S1, finally crossing the line at 24.550 but remaining sixth.
In the danger zone, the usual suspects - Lotus, Virgin and HRT - are joined by Maldonado. The Williams driver is back on track, seeking to make the cut and get through to Q2.
Hamilton has taken the top spot with a 23.976, the McLaren driver determined not to let Red Bull have it all their own way.
Kovalainen fails to improve and remains nineteenth, no repeat of his Spa surprise this weekend. Senna is also in the danger zone as Maldonado goes thirteenth with a 25.423.
Senna is struggling, the Renault driver only managing fifteenth as Buemi and Kobayashi seek to improve, the Japanese driver currently in the danger zone.
While Kobayashi improves to seventeenth, Buemi slips down to eighteenth. Senna posts 24.914 to go tenth.
As the clock ticks down to 0:00, Barrichello, Buemi and Kobayashi continue to battle. The Japanese driver goes twelfth dropping Barrichello into the danger zone. However, the Williams driver hits back with a 24.975 condemning Alguersuari to the danger zone and elimination at the first hurdle.
Quickest was Hamilton, ahead of Vettel, Button, Alonso, Webber, Petrov, Massa, Rosberg, di Resta and Sutil.
We lose Alguersuari, Trulli, Kovalainen, Glock, d'Ambrosio, Ricciardo and Liuzzi.
Maldonado leads the way as Q2 gets underway, Senna and Barrichello joining him a few moments later. Vettel, Hamilton, Button and Alonso are also eager to get to work.
Maldonado gets things underway with a 26.716 however, Senna ups the ante with a 24.715.
Button goes quickest in S1, as Vettel goes quickest in S2. No sooner has Englishman posted a 23.427 than the German bangs in a 23.105, the fastest lap of the weekend thus far.
Rosberg goes sixth while Alonso goes third (23.561) and Hamilton fourth. However, Vettel improves with a 22.914 as teammate Webber posts 23.387 to go second. Interestingly, Hamilton is on primes while the Red Bulls are on options.
Rosberg splits the Red Bulls with a 23.335 as his Mercedes teammate begins his first flying lap. However, the seven time champ posts a disappointing 24.042 which is only good enough for ninth.
Alonso improves to fourth with a 23.342 but remains almost half-a-second off the pace.
Setting PBs in all three sectors, Schumacher improves to sixth with a 23.671.
With 3:10 on the clock, Hamilton (currently eighth) leaves the pits on softs. Di Resta improves to tenth while both Williams drivers are rooted in the danger zone. As are the Sauber duo.
Perez improves to thirteenth, but it appears to be too little too late. Elsewhere, Hamilton goes third, behind Vettel and Button.
Senna remains twelfth but has time for another lap as the clock hits 0:00. Maldonado improves to thirteenth, nice try but he's out.
A fantastic effort sees Senna go tenth pushing di Resta into the relegation zone as happened two weeks ago in Belgium.
Therefore, we lose di Resta, Sutil, Barrichello, Maldonado, Perez, Buemi and Kobayashi.
Quickest was Vettel, ahead of Button, Hamilton, Rosberg, Alonso, Webber, Schumacher, Massa, Petrov and Senna - in other words, two Red Bulls, two McLarens, two Ferraris, two Mercedes and two Renaults.
The lights go green and it is almost thirty seconds before the two Ferraris get the final phase underway, much to the delight of the crowd. Massa is ahead of Alonso suggesting that the Brazilian might be there to give his teammate a tow.
As the scarlet cars begin their first flying lap, Hamilton, Button, Vettel and Petrov are on track.
Massa posts 23.252 but Alonso is quicker, the Spaniard crossing the line at 22.999.
A 22.777 sees Button go quickest but this is soon beaten by Vettel who crosses the line at 22.613. Hamilton posts 22.725 to go second, demoting the Ferraris to fourth and fifth.
On his second flying lap Vettel is even quicker in S2, however, he backs off after making a mistake in Ascari, the German really pushing.
Petrov goes sixth with a 24.175 and Rosberg seventh with a 25.514.
Webber, who looks to be settling for just one run, posts PBs in the first two sectors, crossing the line at 23.126 to go fifth. His teammate is back in the pits.
Vettel will only have time for one flying lap. With 1:00 on the clock all ten drivers are on track.
Not for the first time, Rosberg goes quickest in S1. Moments later, teammate Schumacher goes even quicker.
Hamilton loses a heap of time in S2 as he locks up in the first chicane. With the cars running almost in a train, the after effect will impact a number of the drivers behind him.
Webber can only manage fourth while both McLaren dive straight into the pits. Alonso posts 22.841 to take fourth and demote Webber while Vettel slaps in a 22.275 to take his tenth pole of the season.
While there is no mistaking the joy in the Red Bull camp - certainly on Vettel's side of the garage - it is equally clear that Hamilton is far from happy. Nonetheless, mistake or no mistake, would he really have overcome that half-second deficit?
Vettel will therefore start the Italian Grand Prix from pole, ahead of Hamilton, Button, Webber, Massa, Petrov, Schumacher, Rosberg and Senna.
Di Resta will start eleventh, ahead of Sutil, Barrichello, Maldonado, Perez, Buemi, Kobayashi, Alguersuari, Trulli, Kovalainen, Glock, d'Ambrosio, Ricciardo and Liuzzi.
An epic performance from Vettel and his team and one that must augur well for tomorrow when the German is likely to take another enormous step towards his second successive title.