21/09/2013
NEWS STORY
If we rely purely on this morning's session, then Romain Grosjean is the main threat to Sebastian Vettel this weekend. Having lost tracktime during both of Friday's sessions, the Frenchman was on fierce form this morning, possibly motivated by the thought of being number one at his team next year - assuming they retain him and assuming they don't hire an established driver, say Hulkenberg or Massa.
His current teammate, on the other hand, was woefully off the pace, and it isn't clear why, far be it from us to suggest that he's sick of the 'cheque's in the post' stories.
While the Mercedes duo and Mark Webber kept Vettel honest yesterday they were off the pace this morning, though this afternoon's conditions - which are very similar to yesterday's - should see them close the gap again.
That said, the Australian, unlike his teammate, doesn't seem comfortable with the option tyres (supersoft) and to make matters worse mechanics have been working on his car since FP3.
After a lull in Belgium and Italy, tyres are back in the news again this weekend, tyre wear an issue for several teams most notably Ferrari.
Behind the 'usual suspects', McLaren appear to be the best of the rest, Force India still suffering following the changes made to the tyre compounds a couple of races ago. Though one feels sympathy for the Silverstone outfit, this isn't the first time the rules have been changed mid-season to the detriment of some and benefit of others.
Being a street circuit it's been hard to get a real feel for who's hot and who's not this weekend, nobody willing to push that little bit harder just in case it results in an accident that keeps them out for the remainder of the session. That sort of stuff can wait for the return to 'proper' tracks, though a few, including Webber, have ridden their luck this weekend, getting more than a little friendly with the unforgiving barriers.
That said, Williams is off the pace while Toro Rosso and Sauber, still celebrating its Monza result, could spring a surprise.
As with any street circuit pole will be important therefore Vettel will very much want to be up front. At the same time, it's wroth noting that teammate Webber has been doing lots of practice starts from the pitlane this weekend.
Gut feeling has a Mercedes on pole however, Sebastian has to be favourite to take the race win.
Tyre options are medium (prime) and supersoft (option), as opposed to soft and supersoft. The difference between them around a two seconds though it is the option that will be favoured during the race, the primes having a "short life expectancy", certainly as far as some drivers are concerned.
There are two DRS zones this year. The first is on the pit straight - with activation on the approach to Turn 22, while the second runs between Turns 5 and 7 - with activation just after Turn 4.
With the removal of the Singapore sling chicane and the resurfacing of the track, times are considerably faster than in 2012. Indeed, Hamilton insists the track is not "twice as grippy".
In the minutes leading up to the start of the session there is talk of Raikkonen suffering a back pain scare, maybe Lotus has finally comes up with his wages, paid him in cash and he's stuffed it in his overalls pocket unwilling to take the risk and leave it in the motorhome. Lotus subsequently tweets a pic of the Iceman 'in situ', admitting that he does have a "bit of back pain" due to the "bumpy old track".
Air temperature is 29 degrees C, while the track temperature is 30 degrees. It is 21:00.
The lights go green and Maldonado is straight out of the box, after a short while he is joined by di Resta. Soon there are eleven drivers on track, including Massa, Button and the Me4rcedes duo, all are on primes.
Maldonado posts a 1:48.458 to get things underway, di Resta going second with a 49.266.
No sooner has Grosjean posted a 48.385 however than Hamilton raises the bar with a 47.087. Ricciardo goes second, ahead of Bottas and Vergne. Hamilton is told that his weakest section is "the middle" where he can find another half-a-second.
Going quickest in all three sectors, Rosberg posts 46.288 to make it a Mercedes 1-2, Raikkonen posting 47.885 to go fourth.
The usual suspects, including the Saubers, switch to options.
Alonso splits the Mercedes with a 46.68 as the Red Bulls and Perez remain in their garages.
Hamilton goes second and Grosjean third as Massa drops to tenth. Unsurprisingly, on the options, Hulkenberg goes quickest in S1. He's quickest again in S2, finally crossing the line at 45.381 to go quickest. That's 0.907 quicker than Rosberg's best.
As the Red Bull duo head down the pitlane Perez is still in his garage where the mechanics are working on his car. That said, with 6:30 he heads down the pitlane - on options.
Vettel and Webber trade fastest times in S1 and again in S2, both are on primes.
Vettel posts 45.755 to go second but drops to third when Webber goes quickest with a 45.271. The Red Bulls, Grosjean and Massa are the only drivers on primes as the rest, including Mercedes, switch to options.
Rosberg posts 45.208 on the options but is demoted when Perez crosses the line at 45.164. Button posts 45.009 and then Hamilton slips in a 44.196. Grosjean, still on primes, slips down to tenth.
Ricciardo improves to eighth, as di Resta slips to fifteenth, three spots ahead of Massa who is in serious traffic.
All eyes on Gutierrez, di Resta, Maldonado and Massa, as Van der Garde clouts the wall hard but somehow continues.
Gutierrez improves to tenth, while Massa goes thirteenth thereby dropping di Resta to seventeenth.
Quickest is Hamilton, ahead of Button, Alonso, Perez, Rosberg, Webber, Vettel, Ricciardo, Hulkenberg and Gutierrez.
We lose di Resta, Maldonado, Pic, Van der Garde, Bianchi and Chilton.
The winner in Q1 was fourteenth placed Grosjean who has managed to save a set of options. Then again, the Red Bulls didn't need to resort to the softer rubber either, one dreads to think what they will pull out of the bag when they do fit the options.
The lights go green for Q2 but as ever there is no mad rush to get to work.
Eventually an engine fires up and moments later Raikkonen heads down the pitlane, followed by Ricciardo.
Raikkonen posts 44.794 to get Q2 underway, however, shortly after Rosberg leapfrogs the Finn with a 43.892. A 43.920 sees Hamilton go second.
Alonso goes third, ahead of Hulkenberg and Raikkonen as we await the Red Bulls, McLarens and Grosjean to make an appearance.
With 6:40 on the clock the Red Bulls head down the pitlane, Grosjean in hot pursuit.
On the pit-wall Ross Brawn look happy, as he should, both his drivers set their times on used options. That said, Hamilton is warned that he might need to run again… "we're right on the edge" he is told.
Vettel is already 0.199s up by the first split, Webber also very much on the pace. At the second split he's 0.521s up on Rosberg as Webber continues to keep him honest. At the line the world champion posts 42.90 with Webber making it a Red Bull 1-2 courtesy of a 43.727. Grosjean can only manage fifth (43.957).
The McLaren duo are the last to run while the Mercedes driers settle for the times they have posted. Nail biting stuff.
Massa goes sixth and Ricciardo seventh, Button and Perez, both relying on that one lap, still fifteenth and sixteenth.
Raikkonen fails to make the cut as Gutierrez goes seventh, a superb job by the Mexican youngster. Button goes tenth, scraping into Q3 by the skin of his teeth.
Vettel is quickest, ahead of Webber, Rosberg, Hamilton, Grosjean, Alonso, Gutierrez, Massa, Ricciardo and Button.
We lose Hulkenberg, Vergne, Raikkonen, Perez, Sutil and Bottas.
The lights go green for Q3 and Vettel heads the queue at the end of the pitlane, teammate Webber is right behind. Button, Grosjean and the Mercedes pair join them, whilst the Ferraris, Gutierrez and Ricciardo remain in their garages.
As Vettel begins his flying lap, Button leaves the pits on a set of primes.
Going quickest in all three sectors, Vettel crosses the line at 42.841. Webber momentarily goes second (43.460) only to be demoted by Rosberg (43.431). Hamilton goes fourth and Grosjean fifth, both almost a second off Vettel's pace. Button pits without setting a time.
At 3:20, Massa heads down the pitlane, he is soon joined by eight other drivers… Vettel opting not to run again. Supreme confidence?
His nine rivals prepare for the final assault, how ironic were Webber to get one over on his teammate.
The Australian goes quickest in S1, 0.13s up on Vettel. Massa goes sixth overall.
Rosberg and Webber are both on hot laps, the German goes second (42.932) while Webber can only manage third (43.152). Seconds later however, as Hamilton goes fourth, Grosjean demotes Webber and Hamilton as he takes third with a 43.058.
Ross Brawn advises Rosberg that Vettel didn't make a second run, adding that the world champion was probably watching his countryman's lap on the monitors and feeling increasingly uncomfortable.
Elsewhere, for the second successive race weekend, Massa out-qualifies his Ferrari teammate.
Vettel will start from pole - as we always thought he might - ahead of Rosberg, Grosjean, Webber, Hamilton, Massa, Alonso, Button, Ricciardo and Gutierrez.
Hulkenberg will start eleventh, ahead of Vergne, Raikkonen, Perez, Sutil, Bottas, di Resta, Maldonado, Pic, Van der Garde, Bianchi and Chilton.
Check out our Saturday gallery, here.