12/05/2012
NEWS STORY
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If you were ever in any doubt that many of those in Formula One, be they drivers, team bosses, press officers or tacticians, are also mean Poker players, look no further than this weekend's practice sessions and, in particular, this morning's.
While Sebastian Vettel topped the timesheets, it's fair to say that the true running order is far from clear, with many teams continuing to play their cards very, very close to their chests.
It is clear that the Red Bull is looking good here, but what of the true form of the McLarens, Mercedes and Lotus'?
While there is a clear step (indeed two) between the hard and soft tyres this weekend, some drivers appear happier on one compound whilst their teammate are more settled on the other. We say 'happy' and 'settled' but in fact nobody is one hundred percent content, particularly in terms of grip.
Despite all the talk of the importance of pole, the fact is that with one of the biggest runs to the first corner on the calendar pole is not as crucial as it will be in, say, Monaco. Furthermore, with an eye on tomorrow, when temperatures are expected to be up to ten degrees cooler, drivers are thought to be holding back on tyres, with some claiming there will be very little running in Q3.
In the moments before Q1, the air temperature is 28 degrees C, while the track temperature is 40 degrees. It remains bright and sunny, humidity is 35 percent, with barely a cloud in the sky. That said, it is fairly windy, with strong gusts across the main straight
One man who has a mammoth task this afternoon is Romain Grosjean who failed to complete a timed lap this morning due to a fuel pressure problem.
The lights go green but it is several minutes before there is any action, a combination of the desire to conserve tyres and the fact that the track is very dusty and the services of the 'sweepers' are required.
At 15:50, di Resta breaks the deadlock, followed by the Lotus duo, Hulkenberg, Ricciardo and Glock. Alonso and Rosberg are also eager to (finally) get to work. All on hards except the Saubers which are both on softs.
Di Resta posts 25.675 with Grosjean posting 25.025 moments later. Raikkonen can only manage 28.433 - must have made a mistake somewhere.
On his first flying lap, much to the delight of the crowd, Alonso goes quickest (24.326) despite not using his DRS. Raikkonen improves to second (24.580) ahead of Rosberg.
No sooner has Perez gone quickest than he is demoted by Hamilton (24.143), the McLaren on hards the Sauber on softs. As in PF3 this morning, Sauber tweets to say that it is on HARD tyres not softs - the official data supplier appearing to have got it wrong… again.
Schumacher goes sixth and immediately goes quickest in S1 of his next lap. Elsewhere, Kobayashi goes quickest in S1 as Schumacher improves to third overall (24.262).
Maldonado goes straight to the top of the timesheets with a 23.380 the Williams on the softer rubber.
Still to post a time - with 6:00 on the clock - Vettel leaves the pits on softs. Button complains of "massive understeer".
Webber is now on track on softs, as is Raikkonen. Maldonado quickest, ahead of Hamilton, Perez, Schumacher and Alonso.
Surprisingly, Maldonado is looking to improve, the Williams driver going quickest in S1. Elsewhere, Button back on track on softs.
Raikkonen goes quickest in S1, as Vettel and Webber begin their first flying laps of the afternoon.
Raikkonen posts a PB in S2, Vettel is 0.571s down and Webber is 0.212s down.
Raikkonen goes second overall (23.406) only to be demoted when his teammate posts 23.248. Vettel goes seventh and Webber fifth.
Hulkenberg takes seventh (23.720) as Hamilton and Button are back on track on softs, drivers really having to gamble now.
In the danger zone, along with the usual suspects we have Vergne, Schumacher and Senna.
Schumacher improves to tenth as Rosberg goes third, Hamilton quickest in the first two sectors. The McLaren driver goes quickest with a 22.583 but has used two sets of his tyres.
Vergne fails to improve but might still make the cut, providing Senna doesn't improve. Unfortunately the Brazilian overdoes it and spins off at Turn 12, his day's work over.
At the end of Q1, Hamilton is quickest, ahead of Grosjean, Alonso, Rosberg, Maldonado, Kobayashi, Raikkonen, Button, Webber and Hulkenberg.
We lose Senna, Petrov, Kovalainen, Pic, Glock, de la Rosa and Karthikeyan, the Indian not having made it inside the 107% limit and therefore facing the possibility of not racing tomorrow.
Q2 gets underway, but as in Q1 there is no mad scramble to get to work.
After a three minute wait, Kobayashi heads down the pitlane, followed by di Resta. Moments later, the McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes duo also get to work. All appear to be on softs - most of them used.
As the drivers begin the first flying laps of the phase, Raikkonen, Grosjean, Ricciardo and Vergne watch from their garages.
Rosberg, despite taking a hammering from the kerbs, goes quickest (23.401) ahead of Schumacher, Alonso and Perez. However, moments later Hamilton and Button make it a McLaren 1-2, Lewis crossing the line at 22.465.
Webber splits the McLarens with a 22.977 as Button complains that he's still struggling with his rears especially under braking.
Vettel goes fifth (23.444), Alonso seventh and Massa twelfth. Elsewhere, Raikkonen and Vergne leave the pits. Shortly after Grosjean and Ricciardo follow.
Back in the McLaren garage Hamilton is out of his car, such is his confidence. Then again, he has a 0.5s advantage over second-placed Webber.
As Grosjean goes quickest in S1, Hamilton climbs back into his McLaren.
Raikkonen goes second (22.856) only to be dropped to third by his teammate's 22.667. Vergne goes fifth and Ricciardo eighth, prompting a flurry of drivers to return to the track - all bar Hamilton and Webber.
Alonso improves to fifth as Massa and Schumacher both drop into the danger zone.
Di Resta posts 23.125 to go sixth, a great effort from the Scot. Elsewhere, however, Kobayashi goes quickest in S1 and Perez in S2.
Button goes sixth but drops to seventh when Kobayashi improves. Webber has also dropped to eighth.
Perez goes third with a 22.773 only to be demoted by Maldonado's 22.105, thereby dropping Button and Webber out of the Top Ten and out of Q3.
"I've got understeer everywhere," complains Button, the Englishman seemingly unaware that he's out. Meanwhile, Kobayashi has stopped on track and his car is pushed to safety as he begins the long walk back.
Quickest was Maldonado, ahead of Hamilton, Grosjean, Perez, Raikkonen, Alonso, Rosberg, Vettel, Kobayashi and Schumacher.
We lose Button, Webber, di Resta, Hulkenberg, Vergne, Ricciardo and Massa.
Ahead of Q3, the question isn't so much about who will get pole but who will actually run, who will really want to use up more of their tyres.
When the lights go green Vettel is out on to the track like a greyhound from the stalls, the German on softs. A large cloud has moved in, bringing the temperatures down, and the Red Bull driver might see a window of opportunity. Indeed, Hamilton is also keen to get down to business.
Despite a fast out-lap and an equally fast first sector of his flying lap the German ease off, indeed, he dives into the pits without posting a time. Hamilton is quickest in the first two sectors, the McLaren driver crossing the line at 22.560.
Schumacher and Rosberg leave the pits, Michael on hards and Nico on softs. The seven-time champ subsequently pits while the Chinese GP winner stays out to go second (of two) with a 23.005.
With 2:50 on the clock Alonso heads down the pitlane, followed by Raikkonen, Grosjean, Perez, Maldonado, Hamilton and Vettel. Game on?
Alonso goes quickest in S1 as all but Schumacher and Kobayashi are on track.
As Alonso goes quickest in S2, Raikkonen does the business in S1.
Alonso goes quickest, crossing the line at 22.302, with Raikkonen going second (22.487).
Grosjean goes second but all eyes are on Hamilton who goes quickest in the first two sectors.
Maldonado takes provisional pole with a 22.285 only to have it snatched away by Hamilton and his 21.707, the Englishman having been quickest in all three sectors.
Vettel aborts his lap, which means the German can choose what tyres he starts on.
Hamilton grinds to a halt, his car appearing to have run out of fuel, the crowd - partisan to a man - signals its delight.
Hamilton takes pole, ahead of Maldonado, Alonso, Grosjean, Raikkonen, Perez and Rosberg, these being the only drivers to post times. Vettel starts eighth, ahead of Schumacher and Kobayashi.
An intriguing if somewhat confusing session that sets us up nicely for what should be an equally intriguing and confusing race tomorrow, what with the doubts over the weather and tyres.
Check out our Saturday gallery, here.