24/03/2012
NEWS STORY
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While Lewis Hamilton dominated both of yesterday's sessions, the damp start to this morning's pretty much threw a spanner in the works.
Although it was only the final part of the lap that was significantly wet, the session appeared to throw most drivers off course, in some cases literally.
Consequently, while yesterday it appeared that McLaren, and in particular Hamilton, appeared to have this one in the bag, this morning's session, and the increased threat of rain, has somewhat altered the picture.
That said, Force India and Ferrari are disappointing, with the Maranello outfit admitting that it faces an "uphill struggle" this afternoon, Massa still struggling despite a new chassis and new front wing.
On the other hand, how long is it since we saw both Williams in the upper half of the timesheets?
Nico Rosberg was quickest this morning, confirming the upturn in Mercedes fortunes however, there remains doubt as to tyre wear on the German cars.
Also looking good this morning was Lotus, though Kimi Raikkonen faces a five-place penalty after changing the gearbox on his car.
Having looked so good yesterday, Hamilton was altogether different this morning. When he did finally emerge he immediately went off, shades of yesterday's first run on a heavy load, and the fact that he only completed 8 laps could hamper him this afternoon.
It was good news for HRT, the Spanish team appearing to have found some pace since Melbourne and confident both drivers will qualify today.
Unlike Melbourne, indeed, most of the rounds on this year's calendar, grid position isn't that vital here. Nonetheless, better to be at the front in relatively clear air than in the middle of the pack where the mayhem usually erupts.
Ahead of the start of Q1, the air temperature is 32 degrees C, while the track temperature is 46 degrees. Though it's 16:00 here, humidity is 51 percent. The good news is that the sun is shining with no rain. Yet the Red Bull weather scan suggests that there are large rain clouds in the air though there will be rain for the first part of Q1.
Tyre options are hard and medium, with around half-a-second between the two an both showing equal degradation, as requested by F1's powers that be.
The lights go green and around thirty seconds later Pic heads down the pitlane followed by Glock and di Resta. Alonso, Massa and Raikkonen are also eager to get to work.
As Pirelli reveals that it expects some teams to try to save tyres for tomorrow, di Resta posts 38.927 but it's a wild, scrappy lap. Moments later, with all but Vettel and the HRTs on track, Pic goes second with a 42.600.
Raikkonen takes the top spot with a 37.961, Maldonado going second and Grosjean third.
As Hamilton locks-up in the hairpin, finally crossing the line at 37.904, all eyes are on Rosberg who goes quickest in S1. Button goes quickest with a 37.827, but he is subsequently demoted by Rosberg (37.696) despite a major lock-up in the final corner.
Alonso goes fifth (38.151) as Schumacher goes quickest in S2. Webber posts 38.585 to go tenth.
A 37.538 sees Schumacher go quickest, as Vettel and the HRTs finally leave the pits. The world champion, on his first flying lap, posts 45.287 to go twenty-second. Elsewhere, Massa can only manage seventeenth (39.235).
With 9:59 on the clock, the usual suspects in the danger zone are joined by Vettel, with Massa and the Toro Rossos hovering.
Button improves to second with a 37.575, the McLaren sandwiched by the Mercedes duo. Hamilton fourth, ahead of Raikkonen, Grosjean and Vettel, who has improved with a 38.102. Webber has slipped down to twelfth.
All but the HRTs and Marussias are on the hard compound, as Massa drops into the danger zone. Schumacher has raised the bar with a 37.517.
Button reveals that he started to lose the rear after three laps. Following some adjustments Webber is back on track, as Alonso heads down the pitlane on mediums. Currently eighth, it is surprising to see the Spaniard take such a gamble so early in proceedings. Williams and force India drivers also make the switch to the softer rubber.
Alonso posts a PB is S1, though one might have expected a purple. Maldonado, also on mediums, improves to fourth overall (37.789) but, again, no purples.
Massa improves, though his teammate doesn't, but is demoted when the Force Indias go quicker. The Ferraris drop to ninth (Alonso) and fifteenth (Massa).
Vergne is in the danger zone as Webber goes quickest in S2, the Australian subsequently crossing the line at 37.172 to go quickest. The Red Bull driver is still on the harder rubber.
Perez goes seventh as the clock hits 0:00, Vergne missing the cut and joining the Caterham, Marussia and HRT drivers as the fallers at the first hurdle. That said, all are inside the 107% limit and therefore all 24 will start. Indeed, the Spanish squad's drivers will start ahead of Kovalainen who picked up a 5-place grid penalty in Melbourne.
Webber is quickest, ahead of Schumacher, Button, Rosberg, Maldonado, Hamilton, Perez, Raikkonen, Grosjean and Vettel.
Looking ahead to Q2, however, the big question mark concerns the Force Indias and the Ferraris, Alonso having finished eleventh and his teammate fifteenth.
As the lights go green for Q2, Ferrari reveals that no rain is expected in the first part of this phase.
After over a minute, Perez gets Q2 underway, the Mexican soon joined by his Sauber teammate. Both are on the softer rubber.
As Perez posts 39.043 all but Grosjean are on track, the majority on the softer compound. Moments later, teammate Kobayashi crosses the line at 38.158, only to be demoted by Raikkonen and his 36.715.
Maldonado runs wide at Turn 11 and takes to the grass, the Williams driver bringing out the yellow flags.
Button goes second (36.928) and Hamilton third, as Schumacher, hampered by the yellow flags, posts 37.640 to go fifth behind Vettel (37.419).
Webber struggles for grip in the final corner but nonetheless posts 37.375 to go fourth, while Rosberg goes sixth with a 37.594.
With 6:10 on the clock, Grosjean finally leaves the pits. The Frenchman is clearly doing just one run while his teammate looks likely to be on a two-run strategy. Alonso is currently ninth and Massa eleventh.
Although he's down on his teammate in S1, strong final sectors see Grosjean go fourth with a 37.338, further proof, as if it were needed, that Lotus is a real contender here.
While Raikkonen, the McLarens and Red hulls appear to have settled for their times, Mercedes hasn't sending both drivers out again. Meanwhile, all eyes are on the Ferrari duo, Massa improving to ninth and Alonso sixth.
As Perez goes eighth, Massa slips into the danger zone, along with the Williams duo, the Force India duo, Kobayashi and Ricciardo.
A late improvement by Maldonado drops Schumacher into the danger zone, as Massa pits, his day's work over. Schumacher posts a PB in S2, as Rosberg drops to tenth, it's all to play for.
Rosberg improves to third with a 36.996 and Schumacher fourth (37.017), thereby pushing Maldonado into the danger zone along with Massa, Senna, di Resta, Ricciardo, Hulkenberg and Kobayashi.
Quickest was Raikkonen, ahead of Button, Rosberg, Schumacher, Hamilton, Grosjean, Webber, Alonso, Vettel and Perez.
It would be a brave man who would risk his money here, but sticking our necks out we have to go with Rosberg - he is lead driver in editor Balfe's fantasy F1 team after all. Then again, can we really write off the McLaren duo? And what about Kimi, though he has that penalty, will he go for pole just for the sake of it?
Signalling his intent, the Iceman is first out for Q3, followed by the McLarens, Webber and Grosjean.
Webber is warned that there's a headwind into 9 and a tailwind into 15. Elsewhere, Raikkonen begins his first flying lap.
As Vettel sets a blistering pace on his out-lap, Raikkonen has a nasty little wobble, costing the Lotus driver precious time.
At the line Raikkonen posts 36.837 but this is instantly beaten by Button and his 36.627.
Hamilton takes provisional pole with a 36.219 as Webber goes fourth and Grosjean fifth.
Vettel can only manage sixth (37.294), as all eyes turn to the Mercedes duo, Schumacher and Rosberg looking as if they are only going to do one run.
It's a crappy lap from Rosberg, who runs flat-spots his right-front, as he did in Melbourne. The German crosses the line at 36.664 to go third after a scrappy lap, while Schumacher goes quickest in S1.
Schumacher posts 36.391 to go second, leaving Perez and Alonso as the only drivers still to post a time.
Amazingly, Vettel has gone out again… on the harder rubber.
Perez posts 37.698 to go ninth, as both Mercedes divers return to their garages.
A 37.566 sees Alonso go ninth, as Raikkonen, Button, Webber and Vettel all posts PBs in various sectors.
Webber, having gone quickest in S3, goes third overall (36.461), while Button posts 36.368 to make it an all-McLaren front row.
Hamilton, despite failing to improve, will start from pole, ahead of Button, Schumacher, Webber, Raikkonen, Vettel, Grosjean, Rosberg, Alonso and Perez.
So, despite the hiccough in this morning's session, it is clear that Melbourne was no fluke, McLaren taking its second successive front row lock-out.
Furthermore, Mercedes has confirmed its early promise, for had Rosberg not ruined his Q3 lap the German team might well have had both its drivers in the top four.
A great performance from Webber, while Vettel's gamble means the German can start on the harder rubber tomorrow.
Another fantastic performance from Lotus, the Iceman proving that he has lost none of his pace or guile and Grosjean, again, demonstrating that Melbourne was not a one-off.
If Ferrari believes that Massa did the best he could given the circumstances - and that's they're saying - the Maranello outfit will feel the same about Alonso's ninth.
Finally, another strong effort from Perez, whose tyre management could play a major part in tomorrow's race.
Check out our Saturday gallery, here.