16/03/2013
NEWS STORY
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Ahead of today's qualifying session the air temperature is 18 degrees C, while the track temperature is 18 degrees. Though the rain stopped in the final moments of FP3, there was another shower shortly after, then another, then it simply decided to stay put.
Furthermore, as if there weren't enough problems, what with mice chewing cables and thereby causing major problems for the FIA - the damage meaning that, amongst other things, there is no telemetry between Race Control and the cars, which affects warning lights, DRS and all manner of other things - a power cut has blacked out the entire TV compound.
Whilst McLaren might have problems, you can rest assure that someone, somewhere is currently getting a major ear-bashing from Mr E. Expletives not deleted.
Should the grid reflect this morning's timesheets few would complain, what with Grosjean heading the Ferraris, Force Indias, Toro Rosso and his teammate and the Saubers - both of which posted exactly the same time.
What was thought to be a hydraulics issue on Vettel's car turns out to have been a sensor, though it is unclear whether the Melbourne mice will be getting the blame for this also.
Failure to run in the dry means that Hamilton failed to post a competitive dry time, hence his position at the bottom of this morning's timesheet, which, on reflection, would still spice things up nicely tomorrow were the order to remain the same.
As if it wasn't confusing enough, in terms of the pecking order, the changeable conditions, not to mention the teams' reluctance to use up their allocation of tyres, means we're as unclear as we ever were. Red Bull clearly has the edge, but this morning's problem for Vettel shows that last year's frailty has not gone away.
On the other hand, Ferrari looks good, with both drivers looking more than capable, whilst Lotus would appear to be their biggest threat. The Jury is still out in terms of Mercedes while McLaren has a lot of work to do.
Whatever happens this afternoon, the weather forecast for tomorrow is bright sunshine, consequently some teams might not place as much emphasis on qualifying as usual while others will. After all, you can never take the weather for granted.
As the lights go green it is absolutely bucketing down. Of course, with Bernie Ecclestone's insistence that today's session and tomorrow's race take place later in the day, should there be any major hold-ups we could find ourselves running out of light. At which point the stewards announce that the start of Q1 has been delayed by ten minutes.
At 17:10 the stewards announce another ten minute delay. Ho hum.
While the rain has eased off - and there's more on the way - there is lots of standing water, more than enough for the numerous track sweepers and their brooms to handle.
Having completed another lap in the Medical Car, Alan Van der Merwe clearly isn't entirely happy and as a result the start is delayed for another ten minutes..
At 05:29, both Mercedes leave their garages and make their way to the end of the pitlane. They are soon joined by a number of other drivers including Vettel and Alonso, all, unsurprisingly, are on wets. A number of drivers, including Webber and Massa stay put.
On his first flying lap, despite being in clear air, Hamilton runs too deep in T3 and loses time. All twenty-two drivers on track now.
Van der Garde limps back to the pits his front wing totally askew, the Dutchman clearly having hit something.
Hamilton posts 1:50.036 but moments later Rosberg posts 48.028. Hamilton parks on the grass by the side of the track after spinning at T1 and lightly brushing the wall with his rear wing. Replay shows Van der Garde's incident was a little heavier, the Caterham driver subsequently running over his own front wing.
Life goes on however, and Rosberg leads the way, ahead of Vettel, Vergne, Mass and di Resta.
As Hamilton slowly makes his way back to the pits, Grosjean goes second ahead of Vettel and Vergne.
Rosberg improves with a 46.539, as Hamilton is told to pit. Elsewhere, Massa is minus his front wing, the Brazilian having clouted the barrier at T12 after spinning.
Webber is another to have problems, the Red Bull a helpless passenger as he slides across the grass.
Having opted to stay out, Hamilton improves to third with a 47.665, teammate Rosberg is told he can stay out but mustn't push too hard.
As Vettel goes quickest in the first two sectors, Vergne goes quickest overall, the Frenchman posting 46.339. Moments later, Vettel crosses the line at 46.188.
As Alonso goes fourth (47.476), Perez has a long, long spin and di Resta claims it is getting near the point where the switch to Inters can be made. Sure enough, he Massa and Button change to the intermediate tyre.
A massive slide across the grass at T11 for Maldonado, the Venezuelan a mere passenger.
With 4:00 remaining, Bottas and Maldonado are in the danger zone, along with Van der Garde, Pic, Bianchi and Chilton. Perez and Massa are only just above them.
A 45.192 sees Button go quickest, as Massa bangs in a 45.406 to go second. Elsewhere, a big moment for di Resta at T11.
All on track and all on Inters as Alonso goes quickest ahead of Grosjean and Perez, the times tumbling now.
Pic loses control and wipes the nose from his Caterham as Gutierrez has a similar accident at T12.
A late improvement sees Bottas make the cut but no such luck for his Williams teammate.
Rosberg is quickest, ahead of Alonso, Grosjean, Perez, Webber, Massa, Vettel, Button, Vergne and Hamilton.
We lose Maldonado, Gutierrez, Bianchi, Chilton, Van der Garde and Pic, who is outside the 107% Q1 time. Would it be unfair to point out that four of the six are rookies?
With the rain now falling harder (again), the start of Q2 is delayed by ten minutes. A subsequent announcement confirms another delay, this time twenty minutes. Other than the rain, the strong wind is a problem also.
At 18:30 the stewards announce another twenty minute delay, which means we are now getting dangerously close to the point where the failing light could cause problems in the latter stages of Q3.
After all this time, a couple of drivers, including Alonso, wait patiently in their cars.
Although it is still lashing down and getting darker, Perez is strapped tightly into his car. Along the pitlane an engine fires up adding to the feeling of optimism in the grandstands. As the fans wave to the cameras, Taki Inoue wickedly tweets: "Oh dear...All spectators look like already piss with Foster's..."
At 18:50 it is announced that Q2 and Q3 will take place at 11:00 on Sunday morning.
Though the weather cannot be helped, one cannot help but feel that if the session had taken place at the traditional time and not 'Bernie TV Friendly Time' this wouldn't have happened.
While the teams seem OK with the arrangement, the fact is that any problems in Q2 or Q3 could seriously impact them in the race.
Check out our Saturday gallery, here.