17/11/2012
NEWS STORY
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Ahead of today's all important qualifying session it would be a brave - or foolish - man who would bet against Sebastian Vettel taking pole position and another step towards his third successive title.
The German has dominated all three practice sessions even though in one (FP2) he had limited track time due to a water leak.
While Lewis Hamilton and Mark Webber have kept Sebastian honest, the only other man who can fight him for the title, Fernando Alonso, has been left for dust.
The Spaniard remains convinced that he can and will win the title, but, with due respect, either he's off his rocker or the fix is in. Then again, before we all start the conspiracy theory nonsense lets not forget Crashgate.
Admittedly, though completely overshadowed yesterday morning, in the afternoon, in warmer conditions, Alonso was able to close the gap. Nonetheless, one cannot help but feel that Seb has plenty in reserve.
Putting the title fight aside however, other than Hamilton, Webber has been looking good as has Massa. In the midfield, there's a good battle between Force India, Williams, Sauber and Mercedes, while it was interesting to see Glock get the better of the Caterhams this morning.
Romain Grosjean, who suffered a gearbox problem this morning will incur a five-place grid penalty after Lotus, in its infinite wisdom, opted to change the unit ahead of this afternoon's session. It is the second such penalty for the Frenchman this season.
On the other hand, Sergio Perez and Charles Pic both escape penalty following their clash this morning, the Mexican making an unnecessary and aggressive move on the French youngster.
What is going to be interesting this afternoon, other than the lack of grip and tricky corners is the fact that on certain parts of the track slower drivers have nowhere to go when faster cars come up behind, which lead to some fun and games in both Q1 and Q2.
As we await the start of Q1, the air temperature is 20 degrees C, while the track temperature is 31 degrees.
De la Rosa leads the way when the lights go green, the Spaniard followed by his teammate, Kobayashi, Perez, Senna and Raikkonen.
There is serious concern that one or both of the HRTs will fail to qualify this afternoon, Karthikeyan having been outside the 107% limit in all three practice session and de le Rosa in two.
While Raikkonen is on the harder rubber, others, most notably the minnows, are already on the softer option.
De la Rosa gets things underway with a 45.674 but this is soon beaten by Raikkonen and his 41.058. Glock goes second with a 43.630.
Glock improves to 41.629 but Raikkonen, who runs wide at T19, hits back with a 41.058. Elsewhere, the Ferraris and force India leave the pits.
Grosjean shoots straight to the top of the timesheets with a 39.078 as Rosberg pulls aside for Alonso who is on a flying lap. The Spaniard subsequently crosses the line at 40.408 to go second.
Massa's 39.343 sees the Brazilian take second from his teammate, however, moments later Perez goes second and Vettel third.
Grosjean consolidates his top spot with a 37.865 while Webber goes second with a 38.498. Hulkenberg bangs in a 38.611 to go fourth.
No sooner has Vettel gone second (38.122) than Senna (medium) posts 37.850. However, moments later Grosjean raises the bar with a 37.486. It is absolutely frantic.
With 6:34 on the clock, Petrov, Kobayashi and the Mercedes duo have yet to post a time, though all four are on track.
It's that man again, Vettel posts 37.165, as Alonso improves from fifteenth to seventh with a 38.111. Button goes seventh and Hamilton eleventh.
Maldonado (option) goes third with a 37.846 as Schumacher goes twelfth on his first flying lap.
Currently, with Petrov yet to post a time, Ricciardo joins the usual suspects in the danger zone, with Rosberg hovering. A major gamble from the German at this stage.
Further misery for HRT as Karthikeyan pulls to the side of the track.
With 1:40 on the clock, Petrov has yet to post a time while Rosberg is in the drop zone.
Petrov posts 40.809 to go twenty-first as Vettel consolidates his top spot with a 36.558.
Rosberg improves to seventeenth and has time for another lap but backs off, Ricciardo, who is eighteenth also backs off, the Australian falling at the first hurdle.
Vettel is quickest, ahead of Hamilton, Webber, Grosjean, Senna, Maldonado, Button, Massa, Hulkenberg and Schumacher.
We lose Ricciardo, Glock, Pic, Petrov, Kovalainen, de la Rosa and Karthikeyan, both Marussias ahead of the Caterhams.
As ever, Q2 looks set to produce a few surprises, a number of drivers making it through Q3 by the skin of their teeth… yes, we mean you Nico.
Maldonado and Raikkonen are first out for Q2, followed, unsurprisingly, by Rosberg. All are on the option rubber.
Raikkonen crosses the line at 37.672 to get things underway. Senna subsequently goes second, ahead of Grosjean and Rosberg.
Button posts 43.078 to go fourth as the remainder of the big guns come out to play.
Alonso clearly angry as he loses time behind Schumacher. "Unbelievable, unbelievable," cries the Spaniard.
As Alonso goes fifth (38.500), Hamilton goes quickest (36.795) having gone quickest in the two final sectors. Moments later, Webber bangs in a 36.870 to go second.
Vettel's first lap is only good enough for thirteenth (41.632), however, next time around, having gone quickest in all three sectors, the German posts 35.971 to take the top spot.
With 4:05 on the clock, Alonso has slipped down to fourteenth as Button informs his crew that he's "lost the power, lost the power".
Alonso really fighting the car, a superhuman effort seeing the Ferrari driver improve to fourth with a 37.123. Elsewhere, Button is coasting back to the pits.
As Grosjean improves to sixth, di Resta, Schumacher, Senna, Vergne, Kobayashi, Rosberg and Perez comprise the danger zone. However, Button is slipping down the timesheet.
Back in the garage, Button climbs out of his car, the Englishman now having dropped into eleventh and out of the session. The man that demoted him being Schumacher who posts a 37.102.
Vettel raises the benchmark ever higher, crossing the line at 35.796. In the Force India garage di Resta climbs from his car, his day's work over.
Massa improves to second with a 36.549 while teammate Alonso fails to improve on seventh.
Despite a brave late charge, Senna fails to make the cut, as does Perez.
Quickest is Vettel, ahead of Webber, Massa, Hamilton, Grosjean, Maldonado, Hulkenberg, Schumacher, Alonso and Raikkonen.
We lose Senna, Button, di Resta, Vergne, Perez, Kobayashi and Rosberg.
With around half-a-second over his teammate, and a second over Hamilton, it's probably best not to talk about the advantage Vettel had over Alonso in Q2, the Spaniard watching the Red Bull - and seemingly his title hopes - disappear into the distance.
"Can Lewis make it pole number 26 of his career," tweet McLaren. In a word, no, we don't think so. Indeed, it's looking very much like a Red Bull lock-out.
Schumacher is first out, followed by Alonso and Massa. Maldonado is next out, followed by Grosjean and Hamilton.
As Schumacher and co begin their first flying lap, Vettel heads down the pitlane. Soon all ten are on track.
Schumacher posts 51.627 however, this is soon beaten - as it should be - by Alonso and his 42.411.
Maldonado momentarily takes the top spot before losing out to Grosjean (37.227), Hamilton splitting the pair moments later with a 42.121.
Alonso is clearly struggling, Grosjean is 0.6s quicker in S1 alone. Vettel posts 46.992 to go eighth.
A 36.845 sees Webber go quickest as his teammate goes quickest in S1. Hamilton, having gone quickest in the final two sectors, posts 36.209 to take provisional pole.
Quickest in the first and final sectors, Vettel crosses the line at 35.877, as Massa gets the all-clear to go for it. As it stands, the Brazilian is Ferrari's best chance of a decent grid position. That said, Alonso might be down but he's not out.
Hamilton goes quickest in S2, he improves to 35.928 overall, but stays second.
All ten remain on track, no opt outs today.
Alonso improves to seventh (37.300) but all eyes arte on Vettel and Hamilton who are both on very hot laps.
Vettel posts 35.657, having gone quickest in the final two sectors. Hamilton, who was quickest in S1, can only manage 35.766, the McLaren driver giving 100% but it wasn't enough.
Consequently, Vettel will start from pole, ahead of Hamilton, Webber, Grosjean, Raikkonen, Schumacher, Massa, Hulkenberg, Alonso and Maldonado.
A brilliant effort by Hamilton, especially considering the blow his team suffered in terms of Button. Meanwhile, a bitter blow to Grosjean who, despite qualifying fourth, drops to ninth, thereby promoting Alonso to eighth.
However, with the even numbered side of the grid being very dirty it will make the Ferrari driver's work just that little bit more difficult tomorrow.
As they weight to be weighed, before heading to the press conference, Hamilton sums it up. "You guys are so quick," he tells Webber.
As predicted, Vettel takes pole. However, nobody expected Hamilton to be that close and, looking ahead to tomorrow it would be foolish to write him off. Turn 1 should be mighty interesting.
Check out our Saturday gallery, here.