20/09/2014
NEWS STORY
This morning's final practice session posed more questions than it answered, with Fernando Alonso edging out Daniel Ricciardo for top honours.
Nico Rosberg was third quickest and Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton, who was quickest yesterday, down in sixth.
While some say Mercedes is merely 'keeping its power dry' others wonder if the characteristics of the Singapore circuit have allowed Red Bull and Ferrari to close in.
Hamilton, in particular, wasn't happy this morning, the Briton having a big moment after his car stalled mid-lap, though he was able to sort it pretty quickly.
At the end of the session Rosberg didn't appear too happy either and was seen in deep 'animated' conversation with Toto Wolff and Paddy Lowe, though the Austrian was giving little away.
Without doubt Singapore is one of the toughest races on the calendar, on the drivers and cars, and for once we could see Mercedes under some real pressure.
Again, there is a clear performance gap between the two Ferraris while the Williams duo finally began to show their cards this morning.
Also very much on the pace is the Toro Rosso pair, whilst McLaren was disappointing, though not as bad as Lotus.
The top seven - Alonso, Ricciardo, Rosberg, Vergne, Vettel, Hamilton and Massa - were covered by just 0.610s.
Being a street circuit a good grid position is vital though, as we know from experience, safety cars are a regular item here.
In yesterday's second session there was real uniformity with McLaren, Force India, Toro Lotus and Sauber behind the main front runners, but that all appeared to go out the window this morning. Lotus will be lucky to scrape into Q2 whilst McLaren will do well to get both cars into Q3.
Then again, over enthusiasm from almost anyone in Q1 could cause problems even for the big guns in terms of yellow flags, or even red, while the 2+ second gap between the two compounds could cause problems with some of the big boys forced to use a set of options earlier than they would like.
As we await the start of Q1, the air temperature is 27 degrees C, while the track temperature is 33 degrees. Humidity is 77%.
Kvyat and Vergne are among the first out, with Rosberg another 'early bird'.
Hamilton is advised that he is using new brakes.
Shades of Monza - and Monaco - as Rosberg takes to the escape road at T8 after locking up on his first flying lap. Is he also running new brakes?
Of the first wave, Bottas goes quickest, ahead of Vergne, Hulkenberg, Button and Perez. Hamilton posts 2:02.007 before improving to 1:58.238 to go twelfth.
On his second flying lap Rosberg posts 48.775 to go second but is subsequently demoted when the Ferrari duo go 1-2, Alonso posting 48.203.
Despite another scrappy lap, Hamilton goes quickest with a 47.847, almost a second quicker than his teammate.
"I have a problem with the braking," says Grosjean as teammate Maldonado heads off into the escape road at T7.
Gutierrez, using the option rubber, goes second with a 47.970, a clear sign that the big boys will also have to make the switch sooner than they wished.
As Rosberg almost trips up over Kvyat and Ericsson, much to the German's obvious frustration, the Mercedes duo switch to options.
With 4:06 remaining all are on options.
Hulkenberg goes quickest with a 47.370, thereby dropping Button into the drop zone. Vettel and Ericsson yet to post a time.
Ricciardo goes second with a 47.488 only to be demoted when Raikkonen posts a 46.685 to go quickest.
Button goes second (47.161) and Vettel fifth (47.476).
A 46.889 sees Alonso go second, thereby giving Ferrari a 1-2. Hamilton (46.921) can only manage third.
While teammate Bottas is fifth, Massa is only just outside the drop zone. However, a late charge sees the Brazilian veteran improve to eleventh (47.615).
"Tell me when I need to go slowly because these are my race tyres," says Rosberg. "They're all race tyres," comes the reply.
Q1 ends with Raikkonen quickest ahead of Alonso, Hamilton, Button, Bottas, Rosberg, Hulkenberg, Vergne, Vettel and Ricciardo.
We lose Sutil, Maldonado, Bianchi, Kobayashi, Chilton and Ericsson.
"There was no more in it, I had no more power," moans Sutil.
The lights go green signalling that start of Q2 however, it is over a minute before a car heads down the pitlane, it is Q1 pace-setter Raikkonen. He is followed by Alonso, Bottas, Rosberg and Hulkenberg. All on options.
As Perez posts 47.597, Raikkonen picks up where he left off in Q1, the Finn crossing the line at 46.359. Massa goes second with a 47.535.
A 46.328 sees Alonso go quickest, the Ferrari clearly has pace here. Indeed, both Ferraris clearly have pace.
Ricciardo goes third (46.493) and Rosberg fourth (46.534), only to be demoted when Hamilton bangs in a 46.287. The top six, which now includes Vettel, covered by just 0.299s.
Magnussen goes seventh (46.783), ahead of Kvyat, Vergne and Button. Massa and Bottas down in 12th and 13th, while the Force India duo is 11th and 14th.
With 3:50 remaining, the Williams duo lead Perez and Hulkenberg down the pitlane.
Hamilton, Alonso, Raikkonen and Ricciardo remain in their garages, appearing to have settled for what they've done. No such confidence from Rosberg.
A 46.472 sees Massa go fourth, thereby demoting Ricciardo to fifth. Teammate Bottas can only manage eighth (46.622).
As the chequered flag is waved Rosberg goes quickest in S1. Gutierrez remains 14th despite PBs in all three sectors.
Button fails to improve and remains eleventh, whilst Rosberg posts 45.825 to go quickest by 0.462s. A good time but at what cost... another set of his options.
Kvyat improves to tenth but no such luck for his teammate.
Rosberg is quickest, ahead of Hamilton, Alonso, Raikkonen, Massa, Ricciardo, Vettel, Bottas, Magnussen and Kvyat.
We lose Button, Vergne, Hulkenberg, Gutierrez, Perez and Grosjean.
Massa, Magnussen and Ricciardo head down the pitlane to get Q3 underway.
Even on his out lap Hamilton is setting a blistering pace as Massa posts a 46.007 to get things underway.
Ricciardo goes second ahead of Raikkonen and Bottas whilst Rosberg can only manage sixth (46.282). Indeed, Hamilton posts 46.230 to take sixth and demote his Mercedes teammate to seventh.
A 46.147 sees Alonso go third to Massa and Ricciardo. Vettel is down in eighth behind the two Mercedes.
Hamilton is still unhappy with the balance of his car as Rosberg gets airborne over the notorious bumps.
With 4:25 remaining all ten drivers are in the pits preparing for the final assault.
Ricciardo is the first driver down the pitlane for the final run.
Other than Ricciardo, Raikkonen appears to be the driver least affected by traffic.
That said, after reporting that he has "no power", Raikkonen is told that he needs to stop. Bitter luck for the Finn who has been mighty impressive this weekend.
Ricciardo goes quickest in S2, the Australian subsequently crossing the line at 45.854 to take provisional pole.
A mistake for Hamilton in T1, the Briton locking-up, meanwhile Rosberg posts 45.688 to go quickest, only to be demoted when teammate Hamilton bangs in a 45.681. Despite his mistake at the beginning of the lap the Briton takes provisional pole by just seven-thousandths of a second.
"Damn it," says Rosberg on hearing the news, the German no doubt ruing using that extra set of options and thereby having had to use a used set of the supersofts for his all-important run.
Vettel goes fourth ahead of Massa, nobody is able to get anywhere near Hamilton's time, the Mercedes driver take pole.
Consequently, it's Hamilton, Rosberg, Ricciardo, Vettel, Alonso, Massa, Raikkonen, Bottas, Magnussen and Kvyat.
Button is eleventh, ahead of Vergne, Hulkenberg, Gutierrez, Perez, Grosjean, Sutil, Maldonado, Bianchi, Kobayashi, Chilton and Ericsson.
Check out our Saturday gallery, here.
Chris Balfe