06/09/2014
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's all-important qualifying session at the 'Temple of Speed', the air temperature is 25 degrees C, whilst the track temperature is 43 degrees C. It remains bright and sunny.
Lewis Hamilton was quickest this morning, as he was yesterday morning, whilst teammate - and arch-rival, or is that arch-enemy - Nico Rosberg was side-lined by a gearbox issue. The team opened the unit, under the watching eyes of the FIA, but there will be no penalties as the gearbox doesn't need to be replaced since the issue was traced to the electrics.
However, it wasn't all plain sailing for Hamilton who had brake issues and also a temporary problem with his DRS.
Putting aside the big question of the Mercedes in-house battle, the big talking point is tyres, with the option (medium) only around 0.5s quicker than the prime (hard) and, in most cases, only good enough for one lap.
Possibly fired up by the presence of some of Ferrari's top brass, including Piero Ferrari, Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen were on the pace this morning (and yesterday), however they will be hard-pushed to give the Mercedes-powered teams a run for their money with Williams and McLaren looking very strong.
With the superiority of its aero package almost redundant here, Monza being all about brute force, we don't expect any major surprises from Red Bull this weekend even should the Silver Arrows duo do the unthinkable at the first chicane tomorrow. Should that be the case, expect Williams, in particular, and McLaren, to pick up the pieces, though Bernie will want to see a home win for Ferrari a la 1988.
Daniil Kvyat is the first driver to be penalised as a result of the controversial, and somewhat ludicrous, new power unit component rules, the Russian demoted ten places after Toro Rosso opted to change his engine.
That said, Kvyat's problems are but nothing compared to those at Lotus where Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado will do well to make it through Q1. The Lotus is absolutely appalling here.
Also, despite their Mercedes power units, Force India has been less than impressive, Perez missing most of this morning's running due to a gearbox issue.
The lights go green and Bianchi, Kobayashi and Chilton get proceedings underway. Rosberg is another early riser, though this will merely be an installation run after the work carried out on his car since FP1. That said, he might go for a couple of simulation runs. Indeed, Hamilton is told he will be "doing laps on 2, 4 and 6".
Kobayashi posts 28.299 with Perez posting 28.426 moments later.
Most are on the prime rubber, not so Kobayashi or his Caterham teammate.
A 27.516 sees Vergne go quickest as all but Grosjean are on track.
Rosberg and Alonso are both on hot laps, the Spaniard posts 26.514 but this is almost instantly eclipsed by the German (25.862).
Hamilton goes quickest with a 25.571 with Massa slipping in a 25.607 moments later. The Brazilian watched by Claire Williams and Patrick Head.
A big twitch in Ascari for Raikkonen who subsequently stops the clock at 27.419 to go ninth.
As Massa goes quickest in S1, Bottas goes fourth overall (26.012). Maldonado still in the drop zone despite being on option rubber. Teammate Grosjean is yet to make an appearance.
From out of nowhere, Massa produces a 25.528 to go quickest, eclipsing Hamilton by 0.043s.
Magnussen leapfrogs Alonso with a 26.514, Mercedes now filling the top five places.
A 25.493 sees Rosberg go quickest as Hamilton complains that his was "a rubbish lap".
With 6:00 remaining, Sutil joins the 'usual suspects' in the drop zone.
Hamilton goes quickest again, the Briton posting 25.363. The top three covered by just 0.165.
With 5;08 on the clock Grosjean finally leaves the pits, the Frenchman understood to have suffered a leak. Or rather his car had a leak.
Hulkenberg (options) can only manage thirteenth (26.904), the Force India's suffering a distinct lack of pace here.
That said, next time around he improves to ninth with a 26.665.
Vergne, also on options, improves to fifth with a 26.140.
With less than two minutes remaining a couple of improvements for the 'minor drivers' could spell trouble for Ricciardo who is currently thirteenth.
Grosjean is told to try and get a pull from Bianchi as Ricciardo drops to fourteenth.
"Do not change gear any more," Maldonado is told, "we could have a problem."
Grosjean improves but it's not enough, both Lotus' are out.
Quickest is Hamilton, ahead of Rosberg, Massa, Bottas, Vergne, Kvyat, Button, Magnussen, Hulkenberg and Alonso. Of which, the Toro Rossos and Hulkenberg were on option rubber.
We lose Maldonado, Grosjean, Kobayashi, Bianchi, Chilton and Ericsson.
Hulkenberg is first out for Q2, the German sticking with the softer rubber.
As the Force India begins his flying lap, he is joined by Rosberg, Massa, Bottas, Kvyat and Alonso.
The Force India driver posts 31.488, but immediately goes quickest in the opening sector of his next lap. Indeed, he subsequently stops the clock at 26.279.
Kvyat takes the top spot with a 26.205 but this is soon beaten by Raikkonen, Alonso, Bottas and then Rosberg, the German posting 24.682.
Massa posts 25.046 to go third as Hamilton finally leaves the pits. A big moment for Alonso in the Parabolica.
Hamilton goes quickest in S2, subsequently going quickest overall with a 24.560. Vettel goes eighth (25.922) and Ricciardo ninth (25.946).
Six of the top seven runners are Mercedes-powered.
Raikkonen is first out for the final assault, Hamilton currently quickest, ahead of Rosberg, Bottas, Massa and Alonso.
From the start of his lap Raikkonen is on the back foot, the Finn struggling with traffic - drivers on their out laps. Indeed, he subsequently aborts the lap.
Vettel can only manage seventh (25.769), whilst Rosberg fails to improve having lost time in the second Lesmo.
Indeed, there are no significant improvements, though there is major disappointment for Raikkonen who can only manage twelfth.
Quickest is Hamilton, ahead of Rosberg, Bottas, Massa, Alonso, Button, Vettel, Perez, Ricciardo and Magnussen.
We lose Kvyat, Raikkonen, Vergne, Hulkenberg, Sutil and Gutierrez.
Kvyat, of course, will start from twenty-first as a result of his power unit grid penalty.
The lights go green for the start of Q3 but it is a couple of minutes before the air is filled with the sound of an engine… that of Sergio Perez.
As the Mexican begins his first flying lap he is joined on track by Rosberg, Bottas and Massa.
Perez posts the benchmark, crossing the line at 26.230.
Rosberg goes quickest in S1, however, Bottas is also on a very quick lap.
The German maintains the pace in S2 as the Finn continues to keep him honest.
At the line its 24.552 for Rosberg despite running a little wide in the Parabolica. Bottas posts 24.697.
A 24.865 sees Massa go third but moments later he is demoted to fourth when Hamilton bangs in a 24.109, eclipsing his Mercedes teammate by 0.443.
As Rosberg pits, Button goes fifth (25.397) ahead of Vettel and Alonso.
With 2:26 remaining, all ten drivers are still in the garages, Vettel and Bottas break the deadlock.
Rosberg is told not to pass Bottas, as this would enable the Williams driver to get a tow.
Rosberg goes quickest in S1, almost 0.2s quicker than his teammate. He loses pace in S2 as does Hamilton.
Bottas fails to improve and while Rosberg does it is not enough, indeed, there are no significant improvements thereby giving Hamilton pole position and ending his teammate's four-pole streak.
Hamilton starts from pole, ahead of Rosberg, Bottas, Massa, Magnussen, Button, Alonso, Vettel, Ricciardo and Perez.
Mercedes-powered cars fill the first three rows.
Raikkonen starts eleventh, ahead of Vergne, Hulkenberg, Sutil, Gutierrez, Maldonado, Grosjean, Kobayashi, Bianchi, Chilton, Kvyat and Ericsson.
Check out our Saturday gallery, here.
Chris Balfe