24/09/2011
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's all important qualifying session the air temperature is 30 degrees C, while the track temperature is 31 degrees. It is now 22:00 and the humidity is 70%. Despite claims that it might rain at some stage this evening it looks as though it wont happen.
Mark Webber was quickest this morning, and on the evidence thus far, Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren have a clear advantage over the opposition here, even the Mercedes duo finishing over a second off the pace.
In the final stages of this morning's session, when the drivers switched to the option (super-soft) tyres, traffic was a problem, hence Lewis Hamilton only managing fifth quickest.
That said, McLaren doesn't appear as settled here as Red Bull and Ferrari, the Woking team opting to try new rear wings on both cars this morning. That's as nothing however, compared to Renault who have scrapped their new bodywork package for a later day, but are still floundering over 4s off the pace.
There are conflicting reports regarding tyre wear, some teams happy and some not. On the other hand, while Pirelli insists that it's not a problem here, suggesting that the heat is of more concern.
Everyone's got an opinion on who's hot and who's not here, however, with ten poles from thirteen attempts, who is really going to bet against Vettel? Many see Alonso as the dark horse but perhaps that's more about tomorrow than today.
Fact is, the title is decided, whether it happens today or in Japan, Korea… What is of interest, all that aside, is the battle for runner up, with Webber really needing to beat the McLarens and Ferraris. Then there's the fascinating battle in the Constructors' Championship between Force India, Sauber and Toro Rosso.
The lights go green however, it is over a minute before Barrichello and Perez head down the pitlane. As Senna, di Resta and Kobayashi head down the pitlane, Vettel is another early bird. Indeed, Webber, Hamilton and Button are also out early, no doubt mindful of the traffic situation here.
As Barrichello begin his first flying lap, his engineer informs him that he will be doing three timed laps. The Brazilian crosses the line at 51.042 but this is soon beaten by Perez who posts 50.066.
A 49.087 sees Kobayashi go quickest but this is demolished by Vettel's 47.137. Webber goes second with a 48.118 only to be demoted when Hamilton posts 47.014 and Button 46.933. Game on!
Rosberg goes fourth and Massa fifth but it's that man again, Vettel re-takes the top spot with a 46.397.
Alonso goes quickest in S1, as Schumacher begins his first flying lap. The Spaniard goes fourth overall with a 47.054 while Schumacher posts 49.014 to go ninth, just behind di Resta.
Webber is pushing very hard, taking a huge gamble as he brushes the wall, nonetheless, the Australian can only manage a 47.332. Elsewhere, Hamilton runs wide at Turn 7 and Alonso at Turn 10.
Second placed Button complains of understeer, the McLaren driver told to return to his garage for an adjustment to his front wing. Petrov, in the danger zone with his teammate and the Toro Rosso far from safe.
With 4:00 on the clock, the leading seven - Vettel, Button, Hamilton, Alonso, Webber, Rosberg and Massa - appear to have settled for their times. All the other drivers, bar tenth placed Schumacher, are on track.
Perez improves to seventh with a 47.717 while Petrov remains nineteenth. Teammate Senna drops to sixteenth.
Buemi improves to twelfth, thereby dropping Schumacher to thirteenth. Senna fails to improve and drops to seventeenth while Petrov is informed that he has just one timed lap. The Russian responds with a 49.835 which puts him seventeenth.
Senna digs deep and produces a 48.861 to go fifteenth, however, his good news is bad news for teammate Petrov who is out at the first hurdle.
Quickest is Vettel, ahead of Button, Hamilton, Alonso, Webber, Rosberg, Perez, Massa, Sutil and di Resta.
We lose Petrov, Kovalainen, Trulli, Glock, d'Ambrosio, Ricciardo and Liuzzi.
As he makes his way back to the pits, Senna is asked if he was held up by Alguersuari on his first flying lap. "Yes," is the immediate response.
As Q2 gets the green light, it is Barrichello, once again, who gets proceedings underway. The Brazilian is followed by the McLaren duo who still, despite seven cars having been eliminated, appear to be concerned at traffic. Vettel and Webber are also keen to get to work.
Most drivers on the option rubber, however, Hamilton is on the prime.
Barrichello posts 48.781, but Hamilton soon eclipses this with a 46.829. Moments later, Webber crosses the line at 45.651 while Button bangs in a 45.472.
Di Resta goes fourth with a 47.702 but is demoted when Vettel somehow finds a 44.931.
The red flag comes out when Kobayashi gets the chicane all wrong and goes into the barriers. Some of the pictures yesterday of the Sauber riding the kerbs at this corner were absolutely frightening.
The Japanese driver is out of the car which is badly damaged. He waves to the crowd before being ferried back to the pits.
With the clock stopped at 9:14, Massa, Perez, Schumacher, Senna, Rosberg, Buemi and Alguersuari have yet to post a time. And Kobayashi of course.
Vettel is currently quickest, ahead of Button, Webber, Alonso, Hamilton, di Resta, Sutil, Barrichello and Maldonado.
The session resumes at 22:38 and it is Massa who is first to return to the track followed by the Mercedes duo.
"Mix 1, Torque 8 and Harvest 7," Rosberg is told. Rather him than us.
As the three begin their first flying lap, Senna and the Toro Rossos leave the pits.
Massa goes fifth with a 45.955, a second off Vettel's pace. Rosberg goes sixth only to be demoted by his Mercedes teammate, which is the signal for eighth placed Hamilton to return to work. Surprisingly, di Resta, who is now ninth, remains in his garage.
As Alguersuari locks up big time, having narrowly missed the wall, di Resta leaves the pits. The Spaniard can only manage thirteenth (49.862).
Senna can only manage eleventh, but in all honesty, under the circumstance, that's a might fine effort.
Hamilton's weekend goes from bad to worse, the McLaren star having picked up a puncture to his right rear. With 0:21s on the clock he's eighth.
A late charge sees Perez go tenth with 47.616, however, moments later di Resta dumps him in the drop zone with a 47.486. Hamilton is safe.
Vettel is quickest, ahead of Button, Webber, Alonso, Massa, Schumacher, Rosberg, Hamilton, Sutil and di Resta.
We lose Perez, Barrichello, Maldonado, Buemi, Senna, Alguersuari and Kobayashi.
Button heads the queue at the end of the pitlane for Q3, the McLaren driver followed by Webber, Hamilton, Alonso and Massa. When the five have headed off, Vettel heads down the pitlane. It will be worth seeing if the Mercedes and Force India drivers go out for one run or sit it out to save their tyres.
For some reason the McLarens and Ferraris are running together. Indeed, at one point Massa and Hamilton almost collide.
Button is quick, but Vettel, in clear air, is quicker. Button posts 44.928 while Alonso can only manage 45.518.
Hamilton posts 44.809 but all eyes are on Vettel who crosses the line at 44.381, almost half-a-second quicker than the McLaren driver. Webber takes fourth with a 45.378, while Massa appears to abort his lap and return to the pits.
On his in-lap, Vettel is told to push but no to ruin his tyres. "We need all the time we can get," the German is told.
With 2:56 on the clock, Rosberg heads down the pitlane, followed, shortly after, by Massa and then Webber. One by one they pour on to the track, all except the Force Indias and, surprisingly, second placed Hamilton. Could be they're saving a set of tyres after the puncture.
Massa goes sixth as Webber goes quickest in S1. The Australian crosses the line at 44.732 to go second, making it an all Red Bull front row.
Button improves to third, thereby demoting his McLaren teammate, while Rosberg goes seventh with a 46.013, his teammate opting not to post a time.
Vettel eases off, job done, his eleventh pole of the season and another step towards that historic second title.
Webber will start second, the Australian's best qualifying position since Germany and the team's first front row lock-out since Silverstone.
Behind the Red Bulls, Button will start third, ahead of Hamilton, Alonso, Massa, Rosberg, Schumacher, Sutil and di Resta.
Perez qualifies eleventh, ahead of Barrichello, Maldonado, Buemi, Senna, Alguersuari, Kobayashi, Petrov, Kovalainen, Trulli, Glock, d'Ambrosio, Ricciardo and Liuzzi.
Check out our Singapore qualifying gallery, here.