19/09/2015
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's all-important qualifying session the air temperature is 28 degrees C, whilst the track temperature is 34 degrees. Humidity is 76%.
Well, unless Paddy Lowe has had acting coaching from Robert de Niro or al Pacino, the fact is Mercedes is struggling here.
When the German outfit finished fourth and seventh on yesterday's timesheets we all assumed the team was struggling, but with Hamilton and Rosberg fourth and sixth this morning, both over a second off Sebastian Vettel's pace, it was clear there is a problem.
Rosberg admitted to going the wrong way with set-up yesterday, while Hamilton has been unhappy with balance and tyre degradation. Whether things will improve in the cooler temperatures this evening remains to be seen, but it certainly wasn't the case in FP2.
Indeed, all the Mercedes powered cars are struggling, other than the works cars the next best driver in FP3 was Valtteri Bottas, down in eleventh 1.9s off the pace.
Consequently, Ferrari, which looks very strong here, and Red Bull, hope to make hay while the moon is shining on the streets of Singapore.
As if to compound Mercedes issue here, seventh fastest this morning, just 0.014s off Rosberg's best, was Fernando Alonso in the McLaren. Even de Niro couldn't pull that one off.
Though they were unlikely to benefit from Mercedes problems, both Manor drivers have been hit with (5 place) grid penalties after changing the gearboxes on their cars.
The lights go green and Rossi leads the way, like his teammate he is already on the option rubber. Both Williams drivers on track, like the rest, on the prime rubber at this stage.
The Sauber duo are also on the option rubber, Ericsson looking good this morning.
As Maldonado runs wide in T7, a corner catching out almost everyone this weekend, Bottas gets proceedings underway with a 1:48.094. Moments later, teammate Massa goes second (48.300).
A big lock-up for Grosjean at T7, the Lotus looking a real handful.
Verstappen splits the Williams duo with a 48.159 but is demoted when Raikkonen goes quickest with a 47.077. Moments later, Ricciardo, despite a close encounter with the walls, posts 46.805.
A 47.571 sees Rosberg go third, the German understood to have revised his set-up (again) during the break.
Kvyat goes second with a 46.948 but all eyes are on Vettel who is quickest in the first two sectors. At the line the German posts 46.017, 0.788s quicker than second man Ricciardo.
Massa improves (48.112) but remains seventh, Raikkonen also improves, the finn going third with a 46.926.
Button goes fifth - yes fifth!!! - albeit on the option rubber. It's a move that will surely force some of the big guns - read Mercedes runners - to make the switch.
Clearly not content, Vettel posts a purple in the first sector, but loses time in the second. Pushing to the limit he loses time in S3 also, the Ferrari hampered by a slow Sauber.
As we predicted, drivers switch to the option rubber, amongst them the Mercedes duo, currently 6th (Rosberg) and 14th (Hamilton).
Currently, with 4:40 remaining, Sainz, Perez, Maldonado and the Manors comprise the drop zone.
Ricciardo and Raikkonen are back on track, the only drivers on the prime rubber.
Hulkenberg goes second (46.669), only to be demoted when Verstappen posts 46.483.
Kvyat goes quickest in S2 as Hamilton goes quickest overall with a 45.340. Rosberg can only manage fourth (46.201). Perez and Alonso sixth as Vettel is the only driver not on track.
Raikkonen, on track on primes, is down in thirteenth. Another mistake by Ferrari?
Despite a big lock-up at the Anderson Bridge, Massa goes quickest in S1. Elsewhere, Kvyat goes quickest (45.340). At the end of his lap, Massa can only manage thirteenth (46.879).
On the primes, Raikkonen improves to seventh with a 46.467, The Iceman still has it.
Bottas improves to sixth as Button makes a desperate late effort to escape the drop zone. Having posted PBs in the first two sectors, Button improves to fifteenth with a 46.891.
Quickest is Kvyat, ahead of Hamilton, Vettel, Ricciardo, Rosberg, Bottas, Sainz, Raikkonen, Verstappen and Perez.
We lose Nasr, Ericsson, Maldonado, Stevens and Rossi.
"The two Ferraris are the only cars to stick with the soft tyres in Q1. Fascinating," tweets Pirelli, quickly adding: "And Ricciardo also sticks with the softs."
Bottas heads out to get Q2 underway, followed, moments later, by his teammate. Hamilton and Ricciardo among the other early risers.
Bottas gets things underway with a 46.247. moments later Hulkenberg goes second with a 46.423.
As the Ferraris head down the pitlane, Massa posts 45.701 to go top.
No sooner has Hamilton gone quickest (45.650) than Ricciardo bangs in a 45.291 and Kvyat a 44.979.
A 46.82 sees Alonso go tenth.
Raikkonen can only manage 45.140, which put him second. We say only, when Hamilton will be green with envy at such a time.
Quickest in S1, Vettel is quickest again in S3, crossing the line at 44.743 to go quickest, despite losing a little time behind Button.
With 6:20 remaining, Perez, Hulkenberg, Alonso, Sainz and Button comprise the drop zone. Grosjean, Verstappen and Bottas hovering just above.
Rosberg requests more front wing, the German clearly experiencing understeer.
Hulkenberg is first out for the final charge in Q2, the German currently 12th. He is followed by the Mercedes duo. Indeed, with 2;00 remaining on the Ferrari and Red Bull drivers appear to be sitting tight.
Verstappen and Bottas posts PBs in S1, as do Sainz and Button. Hamilton is also quicker, unlike his teammate.
Sainz has clouted the wall and though he is able to continue the double yellows prevent his rivals from improving. "Sorry guys," he tells his team. "I thought I would make it but I hit the wall."
Meanwhile, Verstappen was one driver who did improve, the Dutch youngster going fifth with a 45.635.
Vettel is quickest, ahead of Kvyat, Raikkonen, Ricciardo, Verstappen, Hamilton, Rosberg, Massa, Grosjean and Bottas.
We lose Hulkenberg, Alonso, Perez, Sainz and Button.
The lights go green marking the beginning of Q3. Ricciardo is first out, followed by teammate Kvyat. Raikkonen is another early riser, followed by the Mercedes duo.
Ricciardo is quickest in S1, though Kvyat goes quicker moments later. That said, Raikkonen eclipses both by 0.2s, with Vettel going even quicker.
Ricciardo crosses the line at 44.607 with Kvyat posting 44.772 moments later.
Raikkonen goes second with a 44.667 but Vettel is on an absolute flyer. Indeed, the German bangs in a 44.305, as Hamilton pits having failed to post a time.
Rosberg goes fifth (45.849), 1.544s off Vettel's time. One almost feels sorry for Mercedes.
After that first run, it's: Vettel, Ricciardo, Raikkonen, Kvyat, Rosberg, Bottas, Massa and Grosjean. No times from Hamilton or Verstappen, while the Briton aborted his lap, the Dutch driver didn't go out.
Bottas is released into the path of Ricciardo in the pitlane. Could be one for the stewards.
With 1:30 remaining, all ten drivers are on track.
A PB from Ricciardo in S1, indeed, pretty much PBs all round. That said, Raikkonen goes quickest in the opening sector.
Ricciardo loses time in S2 as Vettel goes quickest in S1.
Ricciardo crosses the line at 44.428 to go second whilst Hamilton can only manage fifth. Verstappen giving it all, the Toro Rosso driver runs frighteningly wide in the final corner.
Raikkonen fails to improve whilst Vettel looks set to post a mega time. Despite the fact that pole is secure he refuses to back off, crossing the line at an amazing 43.885.
"Fantastic job, fantastic job," he shouts over the radio, indeed it was.
He takes pole, ahead of Ricciardo, Raikkonen, Kvyat, Hamilton, Rosberg, Bottas, Verstappen, Massa and Grosjean.
Hulkenberg is eleventh, ahead of Alonso, Perez, Sainz, Button, Nasr, Ericsson, Maldonado, Stevens and Rossi.
With both works Mercedes over 1.4s off the pace, the German team faces a difficult evening tomorrow, as does its customers.
No doubt the tifosi will be disappointed Seb and Kimi couldn't have done this at Monza, but to be honest, it doesn't matter where it happened such a shake-up to the order is massively good for everyone... unless you are wearing overalls with a large three-pointed star on them.
Check out our Saturday gallery, here.