09/06/2012
NEWS STORY
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While Lewis Hamilton led the way in both of yesterday's sessions, it was Sebastian Vettel who had the edge in this morning's final dress rehearsal. That said, with 0.885s covering the first fifteen it was pretty much like the opening six races, tight and unpredictable.
Breathing down Vettel's neck this morning was championship leader Fernando Alonso, the Spaniard giving further weight to Hamilton's claim that Ferrari is the real dark (prancing) horse here this weekend.
It was a difficult final session for Rosberg and Vergne, the German suffering a technical problem (fuel connector) and the Frenchman going into the barriers at Turn 2 after taking to the (damp) grass. As a result, neither posted a time.
With qualifying, much like the races, being something of a lottery this season, it's interesting to note - whatever happens this afternoon - that fans are not happy with this year's trend of drivers not running in Q3 in an attempt to save tyres for the race. The results of our recent survey - published less than an hour before this session - reveal that an overwhelming 87% of fans who took part want to see drivers battling for pole.
Tyre options this weekend are the same as in Monaco - soft and supersoft - though strategy should be somewhat different, Pirelli expecting at least two stops tomorrow afternoon.
Air temperature is 24 degrees C while the track temperature is 42 degrees, significantly warmer than yesterday. It is bright and sunny.
The lights go green but there is no apparent desire to get to work. A Minute or so later a lone engine fires up, moments later Rosberg heads out of his garage to get proceedings underway. He is followed by Raikkonen, Grosjean, di Resta and Perez and Vergne.
As Rosberg begins the first flying lap of the afternoon there are 19 drivers on track, all but the Red Bulls, HRTs and Petrov. The Mercedes driver crosses the line a 1:18.763.
Kobayashi runs wide and across the grass leaving detritus on the track when he rejoins.
Hamilton goes quickest with a 16.232, ahead of Button, di Resta, Ricciardo and Raikkonen. However, moments later Perez posts a 16.131.
As Alonso goes quickest in the first two sectors, Massa gets it all wrong running what would have been a good lap. Alonso goes quickest overall with a 15.121, taking the tops spot from Hulkenberg (15.803). All times posted on prime tyres thus far.
Improvements see Hamilton go second, ahead of Massa and Schumacher as Petrov takes to the track on options.
A 15.106 sees Hulkenberg re-take the top spot as Glock, Pic, Karthikeyan and de la Rosa also switch to the softer rubber.
Alonso posts 14.916, still some way off the pace we saw in Q1 here last year.
Vettel's first flying lap (24.022) sees the German go twenty-fourth as countryman Schumacher goes quickest with a 14.892. Vettel subsequently improves to fourth with a 15.106.
With 6:45 on the clock Vergne is still in the danger zone, with Ricciardo, Senna and di Resta hovering.
Raikkonen and Kobayashi both on track on options as Vettel goes quickest with a 14.743. Surprising to see Raikkonen make the switch so early.
A 15.106 sees Webber go fourth as Hamilton leaves the pits on a set of options.
Vettel ups the ante with a 14.661 as Button (option) goes quickest in S1. Di Resta (option) posts 15.019 to go fifth.
Button improves to second (14.799) as Vergne remains firmly in the danger zone. Maldonado, Ricciardo and Senna hovering.
Hamilton goes third on a set of options, Vettel, Schumacher, Alonso and Webber still on the harder rubber.
Petrov goes eighteenth (16.705) ahead of Vergne, and while the Frenchman looked set to improve a poor final sector means he doesn't.
As Grosjean improves to eleventh, Raikkonen remains sixteenth. Vergne can only manage twentieth (16.602), out-qualified by the two Caterhams.
Quickest was Vettel, ahead of Button, Hamilton, Schumacher, Alonso, Webber, Maldonado, Senna, Raikkonen and di Resta, a late charge from the Finn.
We lose Kovalainen, Petrov, Vergne, de la Rosa, Glock, Pic and Karthikeyan.
Ahead of Q2, Sauber reveals that understeer is the problem, its drivers having just about made it into the second phase.
Ricciardo is first out, followed by Kobayashi and, surprisingly, Alonso. The Spaniard is on primes.
Ricciardo crosses the line at 15.995 but this is soon beaten by Kobayashi's 15.454.
Despite missing this morning's session, Rosberg goes straight to the top of the timesheets with a 14.568 as Button (option) slots into second ahead of Hulkenberg and Massa.
As Button locks-up big time, Hamilton goes quickest (14.510), both on the option rubber. However, moments later Vettel posts 14.187 to take the top spot. All but the Ferrari duo in the softer rubber.
As Massa gets awfully close to the Wall of Champions, teammate Alonso runs wide in Turn 1. Hamilton improves to second with a 14.371.
With 7:26 on the clock, di Resta, Maldonado, Senna, Kobayashi, Perez, Ricciardo and Alonso comprise the danger zone. The Spaniard, watched by Niki Lauda, switches to options.
A 14.314 sees Alonso improve from seventeenth to second, thereby dropping Raikkonen into the danger zone.
With 3:00 on the clock, Button, Hulkenberg and Massa are seventh, eighth and ninth, with Grosjean tenth. When di Resta improves to seventh, Massa, who fails to improve, drops into the danger zone along with Raikkonen, the Williams duo, Ricciardo and Perez.
Next time around Massa improves to tenth, however, moments later he is demoted again when Hulkenberg posts a 14.748.
A late charge sees Raikkonen go tenth but he is immediately demoted when Massa goes eighth. Button still in ninth.
Maldonado goes quickest in S1, as Grosjean goes seventh overall. The Venezuelan is on course to make the cut, thereby eliminating Button, but coming out of the final chicane clumps the Wall of Champions with his right-rear. Game over.
Quickest was Vettel, ahead of Alonso, Hamilton, Webber, Schumacher, Rosberg, Grosjean, di Resta, Massa and Button.
We lose Kobayashi, Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Ricciardo, Perez, Senna and Maldonado.
The lights go green for Q3 and within moments Hamilton is heading down the pitlane followed by his teammate and di Resta. Interestingly, Button is on primes.
As Hamilton begins his flying lap, di Resta returns to the pits, all but the Scot and Webber on track.
Hamilton, really throwing the McLaren around, posts 19.523 but this is soon beaten by Button (18.632). Moments later however, Rosberg posts a far more sensible 14.664 before this is beaten by Grosjean and then Massa (14.465).
No sooner has Hamilton posted a 14.439 than Vettel bangs in a 13.905. All eyes on Alonso who goes quickest in the first sector, the Spaniard crosses the line at 14.151 to go second.
Webber can only manage fifth (14.632) as the cameras show Massa getting worryingly close to the Wall of Champions.
As di Resta looks unlikely to come out, Button does come out, once again on the soft rubber. However, the Englishman subsequently returns to the pits.
Di Resta goes out on options but his times suggest he is merely scrubbing his tyres.
Vettel goes quickest in S1 as di Resta ups his pace, the Scot now appearing to be going for a time.
Hamilton quickest in S1 as Vettel ups the pace to 13.784. Hamilton posts 14.087 to go second as attention shifts to Alonso. The Spaniard fails to improve as does Webber, while Schumacher posts a PB in S1 before backing off.
So, Vettel will start from pole tomorrow, his second pole position of the year, ahead of Hamilton, Alonso, Webber, Rosberg, Massa, Grosjean, di Resta, Schumacher and Button.
Now, as we anticipate tomorrow's weather, not to mention how the tyres will perform, the big question is will Vettel or Alonso become the first drivers to take two wins this season or will Hamilton finally open his 2012 account.
Check out our Qualifying gallery, here.