24/08/2013
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's qualifying session the air temperature is 21 degrees, while the track temperature is 23 degrees. It has brightened up since this morning but, as ever, this being, Spa, the chance of rain is ever present. Indeed, there are big black clouds on the horizon.
Red Bull, and in particular Sebastian Vettel, have dominated thus far but this morning both Ferrari drivers entered the equation, Fernando alonso splitting the Milton Keynes duo and Felipe Massa finishing fifth.
Also looking good this morning were Jean-Eric Vergne, Jenson Button and Esteban Gutierrez, as were the Lotus duo despite Kimi Raikkonen's failure to nail it on the option rubber.
Mercedes is struggling and unlike Hungary doesn't look as though it is about to pull something out of the hat, while Force India was also off the pace this morning.
On the other hand, this being Spa, the threat of rain or, better still, changing conditions, would play into the hands of Button not to mention the likes of the Toro Rosso and force India duos. Indeed, as we know from experience here, anything can, and usually does, happen.
The fact that this morning the first sixteen drivers were covered by 1.090s sets us up nicely for the rest of the weekend, whatever the weather.
Just five minutes before the start of Q1 the heavens open, and how. It is that heavy, wet rain that we have all experienced.
In spite of the conditions - or because of them - there is a queue at the end of the pitlane.
Maldonado is told to "get a lap on the board", which is what everyone will want to do.
As the lights go green Maldonado leads the way, everyone on Inters. Hamilton, playing it wisely one suspects, is amongst the first out. That said, in moments all but the Red Bulls are on track... they do subsequently head out.
In clear, albeit wet, air, Maldonado has the advantage... until he overdoes it at Les Combes and spoils it all. Moments later, Chilton does well not to run into the back of his Marussia teammate. The Russian duo's fun and games costing Hamilton precious time.
Nonetheless, Hamilton goes quickest (2:07.008), though this is subsequently beaten by his Mercedes teammate who crosses the line at 2:06.865. As Expected, Button goes third, ahead of Perez.
Webber's first lap sees the Australian go third (2:07.349) as Massa goes fourth and Alonso seventh.
As Hamilton battles with Bianchi, Grosjean, despite a slide in the final chicane, goes third only to be demoted when the boy Gutierrez goes second (2:06.931).
Vettel goes quickest (2:06.729) as Raikkonen slithers to a halt at the chicane. Moments later, Alonso crosses the line at 2:06.209.
The rain has all but stopped however the track is still to wet for dry tyres. On the other hand, with an eye on tomorrow, and even the chance of further rain in the next hour, teams won't want to use up too many sets.
A 2:04.618 sees Hamilton go quickest with Raikkonen now second ahead of alonso and Vettel.
With just under eight minutes remaining di Resta and Maldonado are in the drop zone with Bottas and Sutil hovering.
Van der Garde makes the brave move to switch to slicks, the Caterham driver fitting a set of primes. Currently 21st, what does the Dutchman have to lose.
Rosberg posts 2:03.883 to go quickest, as Bianchi also switches to the dry rubber. Meanwhile, on Inters, Gutierrez goes quickest in S1. The Mexican subsequently posts 2:04.580 to go second.
Maldonado (Inters) goes quickest with Ricciardo taking second, indicating that it is still too early to make the move to slicks.
The time tumble, Webber now quickest ahead of hulkenberg, Vettel and di Resta only for Rosberg to post 2:01.099 to go tops.
With ten seconds remaining it's all to play for, Van der Garde is quicker than Hamilton! That said, the Englishman goes quickest (2:00.368) and Van der Garde sixteenth. However, both Ferraris are in the drop zone.
With seconds - literally - to spare, Alonso goes quickest while Van der Garde posts 2:00.564 to go third!!! Madness.
Quickest is Alonso, ahead of Hamilton, Van der Garde, Rosberg, Raikkonen, Button, Massa, Webber, Hulkenberg and Vettel.
While we lose Maldonado, Vergne, Ricciardo, Bottas, Gutierrez and Pic, Van der Garde, Bianchi and Chilton all make it through to Q2.
While it is dry for the start of Q2 there is talk of further rain at the end of the session and certainly Q3. Drivers are on a mixture of options, primes and Inters.
Webber (prime) goes quickest, while Grosjean (option) takes second, while Hamilton, Vettel and Rosberg remain in their garages.
Having messed up his first flying lap with a mistake at the chicane, Raikkonen atones for it next time around, slamming in a 49.323 to take the top spot just ahead of his teammate. Both are on options.
With 4:20 remaining, Vettel and hamilton follow Rosberg to work. The Englishman goes second (49.572) while his teammate can only manage 2:01.362. Vettel goes straight to the top of the sheets with a 48.833.
As Rosberg goes quickest in S2, Van der Garde is thirteenth, ahead of the two Marussias.
Hulkenberg goes second (49.088), as Sutil goes quickest in S1, his teammate still hovering above the drop zone.
Alonso, having gone quickest in S3, posts 48.309 to leapfrog the Red Bulls. Meanwhile, Rosberg fails to improve on sixteenth (2:01.362).
Perez improves to seventh thereby dropping di Resta into the drop zone. Massa also still in danger.
Di Resta goes fourth which is bad news for Button as Raikkonen raises the bar with a 48.296.
A late charge from rosberg sees the German go third while Button takes fifth, thereby dropping Hamilton to tenth.
Q2 ends with Raikkonen quickest, ahead of Alonso, Rosberg, Webber, Button, Vettel, Grosjean, di Resta, Massa and Hamilton.
We lose Hulkenberg, Sutil, Perez, Van der Garde, Bianchi and Chilton.
As nine of the remaining drivers head off for the start of Q3 they are told that the rain is coming indeed, the official radar confirms that it will arrive within a minute and last for ten minutes. Rosberg is told it is already raining at T14. All are on options.
As di Resta leaves the pits on Inters, the two Lotus drivers battle at Blanchimont. Vettel leads the train of cars that head back to the pits for Inters.
As ‘the nine' have Inters fitted di Resta begins his flying lap - the Scot enjoying an almost empty track. With the rain still to make its mark, this is the Scot's chance to make his mark.
At the line he posts 2:02.332. Elsewhere, Massa, who was second out, is told by Rob Smedley that he has a "massive advantage" here. Split times for other drivers suggest that di Resta and his team made the right strategic call for once.
Massa goes second just under two seconds slower than his Scottish rival. Webber can only manage 2:05.080 and Vettel 2:05.546.
Hamilton goes third with a 2:04.568 only to lose out when his teammate posts 2:02.873 and Massa slips in a 2:04.059. An impressive lap from Rosberg who was only 0.5s slower than di Resta despite the deteriorating conditions.
Alonso is currently tenth, the Spaniard (2:13.157) having lost out to traffic.
Rosberg takes provisional pole the Mercedes river eclipsing di Resta with a 2:02.251. Hard to believe but the (seemingly) ever miserable di Resta is now looking even more depressed.
Webber goes quickest in S2, the driest part of the track, as Hamilton and Vettel also look set to improve.
Webber goes quickest but within moments he eclipsed by Vettel and then Hamilton, the Englishman producing the good just when they were needed. Meanwhile, di Resta slips down to fifth.
Hamilton takes pole ahead of Vettel, Webber, Rosberg, di Resta, Button, Grosjean, Raikkonen, Alonso and Massa.
Hulkenberg is eleventh, ahead of Sutil, Perez, Van der Garde, Bianchi, Chilton, Maldonado, Vergne, Ricciardo, Bottas, Gutierrez and Pic.
A scintillating Q3, indeed, a scintillating qualifying session, Spa, ever, producing the sort of drama that Hermann Tilke's pretenders can only dream of.
Check out our Saturday gallery, here.