03/11/2012
NEWS STORY
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Ahead of today's all-important - this is a street circuit after all - qualifying session, the air temperature is 29 degrees C, while the track temperature is 31 degrees. Down by 3 degrees on this morning (air) and 16 degrees (track).
Lewis Hamilton was quickest this morning, as he was yesterday morning, the Englishman heading a McLaren 1-2, as he did yesterday. The Woking outfit looks strong here and Hamilton, in particular, looks fired up.
Suffering a brake issue, other than an installation lap, Sebastian Vettel didn't appear until the dying moments off this morning's session, but even then he was able to go third quickest. Nonetheless, a KERS issues for Mark Webber yesterday suggests that Red Bull still has issues.
Despite a raft of upgrades Ferrari is clearly on the back foot. Having to break the curfew twice as new parts arrive from Italy, the 0.6s gap to Vettel is not what the Italian team needs right now as it battles for both titles. Fernando Alonso continues to give 100% but is it enough?
While Mercedes continues to struggle, Rosberg and Schumacher 13th and 14th both over 1.4s off the pace, Lotus looks to have rediscovered some of its early season pace and form, Romain Grosjean and Kimi Raikkonen both looking strong this weekend.
Williams is another team looking good, as is Force India, while Sauber really does appear to have lost its mojo of late. Then again, wasn't this always a problem for the Hinwill team even when it was bought by BMW.
As Toro Rosso continues to struggle it was interesting to note that both Marussias finished ahead of Petrov, one of many driver still looking to secure a berth for next season.
Vettel doesn't need pole here, just plenty of fresh air between himself and Alonso, but the German would surely appreciate the safety of the front row as opposed to being mixed up with Grosjean and friends.
The lights go green for Q1 and Kobayashi leads the way, followed by Maldonado, Grosjean, Pic and Petrov.
As Kobayashi begin his first flying lap, all but Vettel, Webber, Hamilton, Massa and Rosberg are on track. The Japanese posts 1:43.939.
Maldonado posts 42.595 while Grosjean goes second and di Resta third, all but the Marussias and the HRTS on the prime rubber.
A 43.038 sees Raikkonen go second as Alonso goes quickest in S2, the Spaniard going on to post a 42.574 which sends him to the top of the sheets. Maldonado improves to second and Button third (42.630).
Maldonado retakes the top spot with a 42.375 as Alonso improves to second (42.574). Moments later, the pair are split when Raikkonen crosses the line at 42.525.
Webber and Vettel finally leave the pits, the clock now showing 10:40 on this first phase.
Having gone quickest in S1, on his second flying lap, Hamilton makes a mistake at T12 and aborts the lap. Alonso goes quickest (42.115) having gone quickest in the final two sectors.
As di Resta complains of traffic saying he's unable to get a clear lap, Hamilton goes quickest in the first two sectors finally crossing the line at 41.197.
Webber and Vettel begin their first flying laps, The Australian goes twelfth (42.947) while, moments later, his teammate posts 43.089 to go thirteenth.
"That was a fantastic lap," Hamilton is told, "P1 by 0.6s".
Vergne and di Resta are hovering just above the danger zone, the Scot, like Maldonado and Kobayashi, now on the softer rubber.
Vettel improves to fourth only to be demoted when Massa finds 41.794. Elsewhere, Webber, now thirteenth, posts a PB in S1 before out-braking himself in T8.
Told that his lap is good enough, Vettel is left to decide whether he wants to do another lap or not. No such choice for di Resta whose eighth place (42.572) doesn't guarantee that he'll make it through to Q2.
PBs in all three sectors see Webber go second, the Australian crossing the line at 41.933. Vettel also improves (42.160) but remains fifth.
Pushing just a little too hard as he tried to escape the danger zone, Vergne overdoes it and spins at T20. He recovers and sets about improving with his next lap. However, it's too little too late, he fails to make the cut.
The stewards are investigating an incident involving Senna and Perez, the Mexican appearing to impede the Williams driver.
A late charge sees Rosberg go second (42.926) while Pic improves to twentieth, a great performance from the Frenchman.
Quickest is Hamilton, ahead of Rosberg, Webber, Alonso, Massa, Maldonado, Grosjean, Vettel, Raikkonen and Button.
We lose Vergne, Kovalainen, Pic, Petrov, Glock, de la Rosa and Karthikeyan.
As the sun sets the lights around the circuit are brought to life.
Perez leads the way as Q2 gets underway, followed by di Resta, Kobayashi and Maldonado. In not time all but Hulkenberg are on track, all on the option rubber.
Perez crosses the line at 42.313 while di Resta dives into the pit, despite having a brand new chassis at his disposal the Scot isn't happy.
The times tumble, Grosjean going quickest with a 41.628, however, as Webber goes second (41.558), Hamilton goes quickest in S2. At the line at McLaren driver posts 41.366 to go quickest.
Vettel can only manage 45.452 while Alonso posts 58.144, while Button goes fifth ahead of Massa and Maldonado.
Alonso improves to second (41.514), while Vettel almost immediately leapfrogs him with a 41.511. Alonso clearly angry after appearing to be impeded by Webber.
Next time around, Hamilton goes quickest in S1 while Webber retakes second with a 41.277.
With 5:50 on the clock, the danger zone comprises Schumacher, Perez, Senna, Kobayashi, Ricciardo, Hulkenberg and di Resta.
Di Resta posts PBs in the first two sectors, however, a 42.218 at the line means he can only manage eleventh.
Not feeling at all safe, Maldonado and Button are back on track, both on brand new sets of softs. Hamilton, Webber, Vettel, Alonso and Grosjean appearing to have settled for their times.
Button and Maldonado both on improved laps, that said Maldonado can only manage ninth (41.907). Rosberg goes quickest in S2 subsequently crossing the line at 41.698 to go seventh.
When he asks if he has time for another lap, Schumacher, currently fourteenth, is told "negative, negative".
Raikkonen improves to fifth, thereby demoting his teammate to sixth, while both Force Indias fail to make the cut.
Quickest was Hamilton, ahead of Webber, Vettel, Alonso, Raikkonen, Grosjean, Rosberg, Massa, Button and Maldonado.
We lose Hulkenberg, Perez, di Resta, Schumacher, Senna, Kobayashi and Ricciardo.
Replay shows the Alonso/Webber incident and the Spaniard doesn't appear to have a case. Frustration setting in?
Raikkonen can hardly wait for Q3 to get underway, the Finn at the end of the pitlane almost half-a-minute before the lights go green. He is subsequently joined by the McLarens, Alonso, Webber and Grosjean. Both Lotus on scrubbed softs, as is Button.
As Raikkonen posts 41.756, Hamilton goes quickest in the first two sectors, all but Massa are on track. Maldonado dives back into the pits.
Hamilton takes provisional pole with an astonishing 40.630 while Webber goes second (41.228) only to be demoted by his Red Bull teammate who posts 41.093.
With 4:35 on the clock Massa finally leaves the pits. As the Brazilian begins his first flying lap he is joined by Maldonado and Raikkonen.
The Brazilian posts 41.723 to go sixth, as Hamilton leaves the pits for a final assault - but will he really need it.
Rosberg is out of his car, the German clearly feeling that his fifth place is safe. Then again, Maldonado no doubt has other ideas.
Indeed he does, the Williams driver posts 41.226 to go third and thereby drop Alonso to fifth. The Lotus duo slip to ninth and tenth.
Again Hamilton goes quickest in S1, the Englishman really on a roll here.
Webber posts 40.978 to take second from his teammate who fails t improve as does Alonso while Button's 41.290 sees the Spaniard drop to seventh.
As Hamilton waves to the crowd, savouring his achievement, the stewards announce that they are investing an incident in which Grosjean was released from his pit into the path of Alonso. Elsewhere, Vettel stops out on track just after T14.
Anyway, Lewis Hamilton takes pole, his first since Singapore, in which race he retired after 20 laps with a gearbox failure, ahead of Webber, Vettel, Maldonado, Raikkonen, Button, Alonso, Rosberg, Massa and Grosjean.
Hulkenberg will start from eleventh, ahead of Perez, di Resta, Schumacher, Senna, Kobayashi, Ricciardo, Vergne, Kovalainen, Pic, Petrov, Glock, de la Rosa and Karthikeyan.
Tremendous performance from Hamilton, however, in the hours ahead the taking point is sure to be the problem with Vettel's car.
Interesting times.
Check out our Qualifying gallery, here.