24/11/2012
NEWS STORY
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Based on the evidence thus far this weekend, Fernando Alonso's hopes of snatching the 2012 crown will depend on any one of a number of factors; the intervention of the weather gods, an overzealous move at the start by the likes of Romain Grosjean or Pastor Maldonado, or the German suffering a technical failure. For the likelihood of the Ferrari out-pacing and beating the Red Bull, based on what we've seen so far is becoming increasingly remote.
Leaving aside Messrs Grosjean and Maldonado, Alonso can at least take some comfort from the fact that not only are the experts continuing to forecast rain for tomorrow, in the Red Bull garage there is feverish work going on in terms of his rivals' car.
However, as important as the title race may be, there are other involved in this race, others who have their own reasons to do well, be it, like Hamilton, to end a relationship with a team on a high, or, like Kobayashi to prove to his employers that they made a mistake in not retaining him. Then there are those drivers still to secure a berth for next season.
Despite the passion of the fans, Formula One is not a sentimental sport and while we face the prospect of losing HRT, Kamui Kobayashi, Bruno Senna, Vitaly Petrov, Heikki Kovalainen and Pedro de la Rosa, the sport moves on. The King is dead, long live the King.
With Hamilton quickest in both of yesterday's sessions and Button quickest this morning, McLaren has to go into this afternoon's session as favourite to take pole and subsequently the race. However, with a mind on the weather predictions for tomorrow, Vettel will want to be as far to the front as possible.
Other than the big guns watch out for Grosjean and the Force India duo, while Michael Schumacher would dearly love to go out on a high.
It's been a hectic couple of hours in the Lotus garage where the mechanics changed the engine in Kimi Raikkonen's car following his failure in this morning's session.
Half-an-hour before the start of Q1, it has begun to rain. Not too heavy, indeed the monitors claim it will end before the session begins, but the dark clouds around the circuit suggest otherwise.
Minutes before the start of Q1, the air temperature is 23 degrees C and the track temperature is 25 degrees. It has stopped raining and Ferrari claims the shower heading this way will in fact miss the circuit. The Italian team subsequently tweets that the forecast is changing very quickly. Such unpredictability will be a strategic nightmare for the teams and could result in some big hitters falling at the first hurdle.
Bernie Ecclestone heads down the pitlane and heads into the Mercedes garage with a birthday card for Ross Brawn who was 58 yesterday.
The lights go green and Kovalainen, Rosberg Petrov, de la Rosa, Glock and others get to work. The track is damp but not too wet, that said, Kovalainen runs wide, as does Karthikeyan. A mixture of prime and options.
The battle between Marussia and Caterham is already underway, Glock and Kovalainen battling for track advantage. The German goes quickest (30.090) but this is soon beaten by Kobayashi (24.957).
Kobayashi improves with a 22.415 only to be leapfrogged by Vergne and his 22.355. Rosberg and Hulkenberg, having completed an exploratory lap, head back to the pits. That said, Hulkenberg goes back out on a set of inters. He's told that if he feels it isn't working he should return to the pits. Even on inters the German runs wide. He subsequently pits.
As Senna gets out of shape heading on to the climb up the hill, Maldonado goes quickest with an 18.709.
At 11:03, Webber leaves the Red Bull garage, the Australian on the prime rubber. Hamilton and Alonso leave their garages, also on the prime. The Spaniard is on a run of seven timed laps according to his team.
Senna posts 18.845 to make it a Williams 1-2 as Perez trips up over an HRT.
As Senna goes quickest with a 17.803, Webber goes fifth (20.076), ahead of di Resta and Kovalainen.
A 17.772 sees Hamilton go quickest, while Alonso goes fifth with an 18.941.
On his first flying lap Vettel can only manage fourteenth (21.038), while Hamilton improves with a 17.346. Alonso goes second with a 17.385 ahead of his Ferrari teammate.
Rosberg (option) goes quickest in S1 only to be eclipsed by Hulkenberg, also on options. Raikkonen goes fifth overall with a 17.462.
Having posted 16.924 to go quickest, Rosberg is leapfrogged by di Resta , the Scot crossing the line at 16.621. Moments later Hamilton retakes the top spot with a 16.147 while Alonso goes second (16.505).
Grosjean is very, very lucky when de la Rosa cuts across him as if to come into the pits. This is something we've seen many time before at this circuit. As he completes the lap, several bits of his front wing fall from the car.
A 15.955 sees Senna go quickest as Maldonado drops into the danger zone.
Hamilton retakes the top spot with a 15.551. With less tha n am inute remaining everyone is on track.
Hamilton goes quickest in the first two sectors, finally crossing the line at 15.075. The McLaren driver is setting a blistering pace.
Hulkenberg goes second, ahead of Vettel and di Resta, as Grosjean falls into the danger zone. Indeed, the Frenchman misses the cut.
Quickest was Hamilton, ahead of Senna, Button, Hulkenberg, Vettel, di Resta, Rosberg, Perez, Schumacher and Alonso.
We lose Grosjean, Petrov, Kovalainen, Glock, Pic, Karthikeyan and de la Rosa.
Ahead of Q2, the sun begins break through and the track temperature has risen to 29 degrees up 4 degrees on twenty minutes ago.
As the light go green, the stewards announce that they are investigating the de la Rosa/Grosjean clash.
In moments there are twelve drivers on track including the two Ferraris, both of whom are on primes. The McLaren and Red Bull stay put in their garages, as does Maldonado.
Hulkenberg (option) posts 14.810 but Alonso (prime) goes quicker, crossing the line at 14.631. Massa goes third, ahead of Schumacher and di Resta.
As Maldonado comes out to play, the McLaren and Red Bull drivers wait resolutely.
Alonso consolidates his top spot with a 14.288 as teammate Massa goes second with a 14.524. Ferrari would be over the moon if that we to be the grid order tomorrow afternoon.
Having gone quickest in S3, Senna crosses the line at 14.672 to go fourth.
At 7:11, Hamilton leaves the pits, followed, shortly after, by Webber and then Vettel. The German, according to his team, will be doing four times laps.
Unsurprisingly, Hamilton goes quickest in S1 and again in S2, the McLaren driver subsequently crossing the line at 13.398. However, the Red Bull duo are also on hot laps, Webber going second (13.883) while Vettel bangs in a 13.209.
Now on options, Alonso can only manage 13.918 (eighth), while Massa is twelfth (14.224). Vettel asks if he needs to do another lap, "yes" is the reply.
Hamilton fails to improve, but remains second, while Maldonado goes sixth with a 13.698.
As the clock counts down there is obvious tension in the Ferrari garage. Alonso remains eighth but there are a number of drivers still on track.
Massa goes ninth however Hulkenberg improves to drop him to tenth, the Brazilian getting through by the skin of his teeth, Alonso also.
Quickest was Vettel, ahead of Hamilton, Button, Webber, Raikkonen, Maldonado, Hulkenberg, Rosberg, Alonso and Massa.
We lose di Resta, Senna, Perez, Schumacher, Kobayashi, Ricciardo and Vergne.
While Maldonado made the cut, he failed stop at the weighbridge, a misdemeanour that saw Webber getting a reprimand in Austin. However, the Australian did at least get pushed back to get weighed whilst the Williams driver simply return to his garage.
Ahead of Q3 it appears that this morning was indeed a portent of things to come in terms of the Ferraris. Consequently, will the team now take a gamble and throw everything behind a wet set-up gamble looking ahead to tomorrow.
When the lights go green Rosberg, Hamilton and Alonso lead the way, followed, shortly after, by Massa.
As Rosberg posts 22.398, Vettel leaves the pits, leaving Raikkonen and Hulkenberg as the only no-shows.
Hamilton posts an amazing 12.850, the Englishman clearly on a mission.
Alonso goes second with a 13.463 but is demoted by his own teammate who crosses the line at 13.258.
Button goes second and Webber third, thereby pushing Alonso further and further down the timesheets. A mistake from Vettel however, gives Alonso hope, the German only managing sixth (13.903). Replay shows him running wide at T4 and going onto the damp run-off.
With Hulkenberg and Raikkonen on track, Maldonado remains the only driver yet to make an appearance. The Williams driver clearly going for a last minute death or glory lap.
Hulkenberg goes fourth and Raikkonen sixth as Maldonado finally leaves the pits.
Webber goes quickest in S1, with 40seconds on the clock all ten drivers are on track. Over the radio Rob Smedley is urging Massa on.
Webber is quickest in S2 also, finally crossing the line at 12.581 to take provisional pole.
Alonso goes sixth but is leapfrogged by Maldonado and drops to seventh.
Hamilton ups the ante with a 12.458 to take pole, with teammate Button taking second moments later. Vettel can only manage fourth (12.760) but with Alonso down in eighth, it's still pretty good for the German.
To sum up, Hamilton starts from pole, his 26th and final (for now) pole for McLaren. Button starts from second, ahead of Webber, Vettel, Massa, Maldonado, Hulkenberg, Alonso, Raikkonen and Rosberg.
Di Resta starts from eleventh, ahead of Senna, Perez, Schumacher, Kobayashi, Ricciardo, Vergne, Petrov, Kovalainen, Glock, Pic, Karthikeyan and de la Rosa.
An interesting session, however, with the uncertainty in terms of tomorrow's weather is the best still to come.
Check out our Qualifying gallery, here.