27/07/2013
NEWS STORY
 |
Ahead of today’s qualifying session the air temperature is 33 degrees C, while the track temperature is 49 degrees. It remains hot.
While Sebastian Vettel topped the timesheets in both of yesterday’s sessions this morning it was Romain Grosjean who led the way, though we wouldn’t write off the Red Bull duo just yet.
While the biggest – perhaps only – threat to Red Bull was ever only likely to come from Lotus, Kimi Raikkonen has not looked convincing thus far this weekend. Yesterday we thought it was due to traffic however, this morning it was clear that he was actually struggling with his car.
No such problems for Grosjean however, who comes off the back of a strong result in Germany, while let’s not forget his performance here last year.
Naturally, Red Bull have to be favourites, and while Vettel gets all the headlines surely Mark Webber is due to open his 2013 win account.
Both Ferraris have been ‘up there’ this weekend, Fernando Alonso fully aware that he must keep his – and his team’s – hopes alive or frisk attention switching to the 2014 car. At the same time, Felipe Massa knows that if he is to remain in F1 next season he must raise his game.
Lewis Hamilton’s face tells the story of Mercedes, the German team still suffering with its tyre issues, a situation not helped by its exclusion from the Silverstone test.
On the other hand, McLaren appears to have taken a step forward following the introduction of the revised tyres, while Force India equally appears to have lost out.
Sauber continues to suffer, a situation not helped by an engine problem which saw Esteban Gutierrez miss this this morning’s session as the team fitted a new unit. Williams also has much work to do, the Grove outfit yet to open its 2013 point account.
Tyre options this weekend are medium (prime) and soft (option), although 1 to 1.5s quicker, drop-off with the option is rapid meaning that drivers will want to run the prime as much as possible tomorrow when we are expecting two, possibly three, stops.
There are two DRS zones – one on the main pit straight, the other from Turn 1 to Turn 2 – but just one detection point, at the entrance to Turn 14, the final corner.
Moments before the green light, McLaren admits that a huge amount of work has gone into Perez’ car following his off at the end of this morning’s session.
The lights go green and Gutierrez is straight out of the blocks, the Mexican needing to make up for this morning’s lack of running. He subsequently crosses the line at 1:23.998.
As Hulkenberg, di Resta, Sutil, Maldonado and Bottas join Gutierrez, Rosberg completes a sole installation lap. Interestingly, Bottas is on options. Not so surprising, so are the Caterham duo… and the Toro Rossos!
Di Resta goes quickest with a 23.484 as Sutil posts 25.660. Bottas, on the options, crosses the line at 21.532. Shortly after, Maldonado, on primes, goes second with a 22.774, that’s a 1.242s difference.
Track temperature hits 50 degrees C.
Alonso and the Lotus duo leave the pits on softs, suggesting that drivers are thinking well ahead knowing that the primes are the tyres to save for Sunday.
Ricciardo (soft) goes quickest (21.181) and teammate Vergne third (21.669), the top three all on softs.
Alonso goes quickest in S1, and again in S2, as the Lotus duo also maintain a strong pace. The Spaniard crosses the line at 20.652 with Raikkonen posting 20.946. However, a 20.447 sees Grosjean take the top spot, the Frenchman quickest in the two final sectors.
Massa goes fourth (21.004), having gone quickest in S1, as the Mercedes duo and Vettel leave the pits. Elsewhere, Webber runs wide at T1 after going sixth with a 21.264.
Despite losing time in traffic, Vettel posts a 20.646 to go second. Button goes sixth with a 21.131.
On his first flying lap Rosberg goes quickest, having gone quickest in S1, with teammate Hamilton going second moments later.
With 1:28 on the clock, Vergne and di Resta are in the drop zone. Maldonado posts 20.816 to go sixth.
Webber fails to improve on thirteenth, the Australian in danger of slipping into the drop zone. Sutil is just one spot below.
Di Resta fails to improve on eighteenth (22.043), as Perez seeks to improve on sixteenth and Gutierrez seventeenth.
Quickest in Q1 was Rosberg, ahead of Hamilton, Grosjean, Vettel, Alonso, Maldonado, Raikkonen, Massa, Hulkenberg and Button.
We lose Gutierrez, di Resta, Pic, Van der Garde, Bianchi and Chilton. All times posted on the option rubber.
As it is revealed that Webber was suffering an electrical issue, di Resta is clearly stunned by his lack of pace and failure to make the cut.
Raikkonen is first out for Q2, almost a full second into the session. There was no green light as such because it appears the bulb had blown.
As Raikkonen begins his flying lap, he is joined by Grosjean, Webber, Hulkenberg, Sutil, Vergne and Ricciardo.
The Iceman crosses the line at 20.987 as Webber is told that his KERS has failed… not for the first time.
Hulkenberg goes second with a 21.735 only to be demoted when Grosjean bangs in a 20.442, just 0.005s than he went in Q1. Sutil goes second, ahead of Raikkonen, Ricciardo and Webber.
Rosberg goes quickest in S1, finally crossing the line at 20.491 top go second overall. Moments later, Hamilton posts 20.303 having only posted PBs in all three sectors.
Vettel goes quickest in S2, subsequently crossing the line at 19.992 to take the top spot, the quickest lap of the weekend, 0.311s quicker than Hamilton.
As Alonso goes fifth, Massa goes seventh, Webber drops to eleventh and into the drop zone. With 5:55 on the clock, the McLaren duo are the only drivers yet to post times. As in Q1, saving tyres is key.
Raikkonen (currently eighth) is back on track on a new set of options, as Button goes ninth and Perez tenth.
The Iceman goes second (20.243), having posted PBs in all three sectors.
As the clock counts down, Grosjean is back on track. Having posted PBs in the first two sectors, and despite a relatively poor S3, he improves to second with a 20.101.
Rosberg goes quickest in S1 as Webber slides into the drop zone to join Bottas, Ricciardo and Vergne.
As Rosberg posts 19.778, Hamilton goes quickest in S1 before posting a PB in S2. At the line the Mercedes driver posts 19.862 to make it a Mercedes 1-2.
Maldonado improves to ninth, watched on anxiously by Frank Williams and daughter Claire.
Ricciarod goes seventh and Sutil eighth as Webber posts PBs in the first two sectors. The Australian goes eighth thereby demoting Button whilst Perez takes tenth to end Sutil’s afternoon.
Quickest was Rosberg, ahead of Hamilton, Vettel, Grosjean, Alonso, Raikkonen, Massa, Webber, Ricciardo and Perez.
We lose Sutil, Hulkenberg, Button, Vergne, Maldonado and Bottas.
Webber leads the queue of eager beavers as Q3 gets underway. All are on options except Perez who is on primes.
Webber dives back into the pits leaving Perez to post the first time (24.852). Moments later Raikkonen posts 20.553 only to be beaten by Rosberg and then Hamilton (20.324). A 20.515 sees Grosjean go third.
Some very untidy laps, particularly Alonso and Raikkonen. However, no such problems for Vettel who crosses the line at 19.506, the German appearing to still have something in reserve.
Vettel, who is quickest by 0.818s, set his lap on new softs while the opposition relied on used options.
With 2:00 on the clock, all but Webber are on track. Indeed, the Australian, currently ninth, is out of his car. Perez is the only driver on primes.
Rosberg goes quickest in S1 however both Lotus drivers are also looking good, Hamilton also.
Raikkonen goes second (19.851), close but not quite good enough. Grosjean subsequently posts 19.595 to go second.
A late charge see Hamilton take provisional pole with a 19.388 while Vettel, who appeared to ease off in S3, can only manage 19.426, 0.038s off Hamilton’s time.
Told he finished P1, Hamilton replies “pole?” clearly as surprised as the rest of us. That said, one cannot help but feel that Mercedes is going to be hurting tomorrow.
Hamilton takes pole, ahead of Vettel, Grosjean, Rosberg, Alonso, Raikkonen, Massa, Ricciardo, Perez and Webber.
Sutil is eleventh, ahead of Hulkenberg, Button, Vergne, Maldonado, Bottas, Gutierrez, di Resta, Pic, Van der Garde, Bianchi and Chilton.
Not the result we were expecting, indeed, by the look on his face, not the result Vettel was expecting. However, looking ahead, one feels that the German should have a far easier time of it tomorrow. Then again, Grosjean is sure to have other ideas.