21/04/2012
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's all important qualifying session, the air temperature is 31 degrees C, while the track temperature is 43 degrees. It remains hazy.
We say "all important", however, Reuters is reporting that following overnight clashes between protestors and police the body of a protestor has been found. If true this will only lead to further clashes thereby leading to a continued spiral of violence.
The sport should not have been put in this position and if we get through this weekend without incident we must consider ourselves very lucky. Nonetheless, some of those at the very top of the sport have shown total insensitivity to the situation indeed, they have shown an appalling ignorance. Whatever happens over the next 36 to 48 hours, this could prove a watershed moment for Formula One much like Ayrton Senna's death in 1994.
Nico Rosberg was quickest this morning, as he was yesterday afternoon, the German looking to have really been boosted by his success in China.
Red Bull has clearly made an improvement, despite an overheating scare for Vettel this morning, the Milton Keynes due finishing second and third when one looks at the combines times from all three sessions.
While McLaren is clearly up there, the team doesn't seem 100 percent on the ball, with neither driver entirely convincing.
While there is a question mark over Mercedes ability to get the most from its double-DRS, not to mention a way of being kinder to its tyres, the German team looks good, with Rosberg and Schumacher more than able to continue the good form of last weekend - good pit work willing.
Stefano Domenicali believes Ferrari will be lucky to get even one car into Q3 today, and looking at the red cars performance thus far he's right, the Maranello outfit under from Lotus, Force India, Toro Rosso and Sauber.
Having changed the gearbox in his car, Pastor Maldonado will take a five-place grid penalty.
With the usual suspects likely to go out at the first hurdle, as ever it will be interesting to see who joins them. Furthermore, with tyre wear such a concern here, it is likely that some drivers might opt for limited running this afternoon, and possibly a poor grid slot, in order to have fresh tyres for tomorrow.
Di Resta is first out for Q1, Force India appearing to suffer after missing yesterday afternoon's session due to "logistical reasons". Hulkenberg, Vergne, Glock and Pic are also keen to get to work.
Di Resta posts 1:43.620 as Massa, Perez, , Ricciardo, Senna and Karthikeyan head down the pitlane.
Hulkenberg posts 35.970 as Vettel, Webber, Hamilton and Button leave their garages, in the Mercedes garage Schumacher blows a kiss to the camera.
The Ferraris are on track also, Alonso already on the soft rubber such is the Spaniard's desperation to make the cut. The HRTs are the only other drivers on the soft rubber.
Kobayashi posts 35.529, as Perez goes third. Moments later, having gone quickest in the first two sectors, Button goes quickest (34.792) deposing Webber who had momentarily held the top spot with a 35.283.
Vettel splits Button and Webber with a 35.035 only to be demoted when a 34.780 puts Alonso quickest. Schumacher goes third but is leapfrogged by Hamilton who posts 34.813.
A 34.552 sees Raikkonen go quickest, as Rosberg and then Webber have moments.
On his second flying lap Rosberg goes third (34.588) as Button questions the wisdom of another lap.
Maldonado improves to eleventh with a 35.670 as teammate Senna slips into the danger zone along with Ricciardo. Massa and the Force Indias are hovering.
Grosjean posts 34.041 to go quickest, as the Force India duo come out on softs.
Hulkenberg posts 34.601 to go fourth and di Resta fifth with a 34.624.
As Perez goes quickest in S1, Vergne posts 35.014 to go tenth. Massa takes second courtesy of a 34.372.
When Ricciardo goes quickest (33.988) it drops Schumacher - who has settled for his time - to fifteenth, Hamilton also slipping down the rankings. This could go badly wrong for some of the big guns.
A late charge sees Webber go third (34.015), while Maldonado's 34.639 drops Vergne back into the danger zone.
A superb effort sees Kovalainen improve to seventeenth with a 34.852 thereby dropping Schumacher into the danger zone while Hamilton escapes by the skin of his teeth.
Quickest was Perez, ahead of Ricciardo, Webber, Grosjean, Kobayashi, Vettel, Massa, Senna, Raikkonen and Rosberg.
We lose Schumacher, Vergne, Petrov, Pic, de la Rosa, Glock and Karthikeyan.
A dreadful mistake by Mercedes and (almost) McLaren, who clearly thought they'd done enough and didn't think the track would improve, certainly to the point where Kovalainen would find so much time.
Interestingly, the only drivers to make the cut to Q" without resorting to option tyres were Vettel, Webber, Button, Hamilton, Rosberg, Raikkonen and Grosjean.
The Stewards announce that Vergne is under investigation for ignoring the red light at the weighbridge.
Mercedes claims that Schumacher didn't have a second run because of a "technical problem" thought to be the failure of his DRS.
Once again, for the start of Q2, the Force Indias are first out, followed by Massa and Perez.
While Hulkenberg is on the prime tyre, all his rivals appear to be on the softer rubber.
The German posts 35.325 while his teammate posts 35.677. Moments later Massa goes quickest with a 34.861.
Raikkonen snatches the top spot with a 33.789 but in no time at all Button, Rosberg and Hamilton have gone quicker, the 2008 champ posting a 33.209.
With 6:15 on the clock, all but Maldonado and Kovalainen have been out, the pair clearly looking to save tyres, especially the Finn who knows that seventeenth is as good as its going to get. Also in the danger zone are Grosjean, Ricciardo, Massa, Hulkenberg and di Resta.
What with his grid penalty, Williams and Maldonado appear to have given up, the Venezuelan is out of his car and talking to the media.
Di Resta improves to fifth with a 33.510, a great effort from the Scot under the circumstances. Not so good for his teammate who is in his garage and currently ninth.
Ricciardo improves thereby pushing both Ferraris into the danger zone. All eyes on Grosjean who could seal Alonso's fate.
A huge charge sees Alonso go fifth while Grosjean takes third (33.246), which drops Raikkonen into the danger zone along with Massa.
Quickest was Hamilton, ahead of Rosberg, Grosjean, Webber, Alonso, Button, di Resta, Vettel, Ricciardo and Perez.
We lose Raikkonen, Kobayashi, Hulkenberg, Massa, Senna, Kovalainen and Maldonado.
Raikkonen says that he was trying to save a set of tyres for tomorrow and that he hopes it pays off.
Vettel to do first run on tyres used in Q2 and second run of fresh options. Told that track is constantly evolving - as though he didn't know.
Webber and the McLarens are first out, followed, shortly after, by Vettel and Alonso. Surprisingly, Rosberg one of five drivers sitting tight.
Webber crosses the line at 32.785, with Hamilton subsequently posting 32.671 and Button 32.711.
Vettel can only manage 32.971, to go fourth, while a replay shows Webber locking-up in Turn 9.
Alonso returns to the pits having not posted a time.
At 3:10, Ricciardo heads down the pitlane, followed by Grosjean, Perez and Rosberg. No sign of di Resta making a move.
Webber, Vettel and di Resta leave the pits, the Scot on the harder tyres.
As the clock ticks down to 1:25, all but Alonso are on track.
Rosberg goes quickest in S1, but moments later Webber goes quicker. Ricciardo goes fourth overall with a 32.912.
Rosberg loses time in S2 but a mistake in the final corner means he can only manage fourth (32.821).
As Webber goes quickest (32.637) Vettel goes quickest in S1, finally crossing the line at 32.422 to take provisional pole.
Hamilton can only manage 32.520 and Button 32.711 meaning that 'The Finger' is back.
Vettel takes pole ahead of Hamilton, Webber, Button, Rosberg, Ricciardo, Grosjean, Perez, Alonso and di Resta.
All weekend there's been a feeling that Red Bull has made a significant improvement, even though there's been no time for any real development of the car. Nonetheless, if proof were needed it's there in the fact that Vettel has taken his thirty-first pole.
Red Bull and McLaren dominate the front of the grid, with Rosberg fully in the mix. However, the ever evolving track, not to mention the significant tyre degradation, means we should be in for a real thriller tomorrow.
Grosjean will be keen to continue where he left off in China, while Alonso, Raikkonen and Schumacher will all be men on missions.
And let's not forget Sauber, or Ricciardo or Force India, even if the TV cameras appear not to realise the Silverstone-based outfit has not gone home.
Great session and good to see Seb smiling again, even if it means we get 'the finger' again.
Check out our Qualifying gallery, here.