08/10/2016
NEWS STORY
The mixed conditions this morning ultimately provided the sort of timesheet that, if transferred to grid order, would have us all salivating.
While Nico Rosberg made it a clean sweep, fastest in all three sessions, teammate Lewis Hamilton was down in seventh, just ahead of the Renault duo who posted identical times.
Ahead of the Briton was Felipe Massa, with Alonso splitting the two Force Indias in 11th.
While overnight rain had washed away yesterday's rubber, its fair to say that had conditions been ideal many drivers would have still struggled.
A super slo-mo shot of Felipe Massa's Williams showed his right-rear degrading after just one lap, a situation that many of the drivers find themselves in.
A Control Unit issue meant Carlos Sainz only complete 3 laps however, the Spaniard wasn't along in encountering problems. A flat-spot meant Max Verstappen couldn't see, while both McLaren drivers are having a torrid time, Jenson Button even complaining that his helmet didn't fit.
Before the drivers turn a wheel, it's worth noting that Sebastian Vettel, who has had a clear shot fired across his bow by team boss Maurizio Arrivabene, has a three-place penalty following last week's first lap crash, while Pascal Wehrlein also gets a (5-place) penalty after the team changed his gearbox out of sequence.
Ahead of Q1, the air temperature is 23 degrees C, while the track temperature is 26 degrees. There has been no further rain since the overnight storm but it remains overcast with dark grey clouds all around. Indeed, race control confirms there is a 30% chance of rain.
The lights go green and Ocon leads the way, followed by his teammate and Sainz. Rosberg is also out early, as is Hamilton. The Briton is told to "work those fronts".
Ocon posts 1:33.992 and Wehrlein 34.221, while Rosberg posts 31.858 despite a mistake in Degner 2. Hamilton, with no noticeable mistakes, posts 32.218.
A 33.080 sees Grosjean go third as more and more drivers head out.
Grosjean is demoted by his Haas teammate who posts 32.709 as Nasr goes fourth ahead of Button.
Verstappen posts 32.487 to slot in behind the Mercedes duo, with teammate Ricciardo going fourth. The Bulls and Mercedes drivers are on mediums while everyone else, including the Ferraris, is on softs.
On the softs Hulkenberg posts 32.448 to go third, however he is demoted when Raikkonen goes quickest with a 31.674.
"The track is faster than we expected," Ricciardo is told. "We'll get ready for another lap." Indeed, the Australian has slipped to seventh.
A 31.659 sees Vettel go quickest, like his teammate he's on the yellow-banded rubber.
With 5:20 remaining, Button, Sainz and Palmer are in the drop zone, along with the Manors and Ericsson. Magnussen, Nasr and Grosjean are hovering.
While the top nine appear to have settled, a late move sees Verstappen, Ricciardo and Kvyat head out clearly not totally confident. In ninth, Perez takes a gamble and opts not to come out again.
A PB is S1 for Button, Grosjean also looks set to improve.
The Briton maintains his pace in S2, as the Red Bulls pit.
Button improves to 14th, while Grosjean goes sixth with a 32.458.
Gutierrez improves to eighth as Palmer goes 14th.
A late, late improvement from Massa (32.562) sees the Williams driver go tenth, which means an early bath for Button. Teammate Alonso makes it into Q2 by the skin of his teeth (0.032s).
Told his time, Nasr asks "Why was it so bad?" "We'll discuss this," he is told, much like your mother used to say.
Quickest is Vettel, ahead of Raikkonen, Rosberg, Hamilton, Bottas, Hulkenberg, Grosjean, Verstappen, Ricciardo and Massa.
We lose Button, Magnussen, Ericsson, Nasr, Ocon and Wehrlein.
Rosberg and Hamilton get Q2 underway, the pair, both on softs, clearly mindful of those increasingly grey skies. That said, there is no rush to join them.
Again, Rosberg is the quicker, though only just. The German crosses the line at 30.714, while Hamilton can only manage 31.129 having run wide in Degner 1.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Suzuka, here.
Spurred into action, all but the Williams duo head out to try their luck.
Ricciardo goes third (31.719) but is demoted when Raikkonen posts 31.406.
A 31.489 sees Verstappen go fourth, while the Haas duo go seventh and eighth.
Vettel slips into third with a 31.227, 0.513s off Rosberg's pace.
"I don't want to be behind this traffic in Q3," warns Verstappen, "I can't do my out lap as I want to."
Hulkenberg complains of "more and more understeer", as Grosjean has a massive wobble in the final corner, the rear of the Haas snapping out.
With just over four minutes remaining, Bottas and Massa finally head out then both return to change tyres.
The Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull drivers settle for their times, everyone else is on track.
A wobble in the Degners for Bottas, the Finn going on to posts 32.315 to take eighth. Massa goes tenth with a 32.380, but is it enough?
No. Grosjean improves to seventh, thereby dropping Massa to eleventh. Elsewhere Sainz spins at Spoon as teammate Kvyat looks set to improve.
Perez posts 32.237 to go tenth, thereby consigning Bottas to the drop zone.
We lose Bottas, Massa, Kvyat, Sainz, Alonso and Palmer.
Rosberg was quickest, ahead of Hamilton, Vettel, Raikkonen, Verstappen, Ricciardo, Gutierrez, Grosjean, Hulkenberg and Perez... two by two by two.
Ricciardo gets Q3 underway, the Australian joined by his Red Bull teammate.
Soon the Bulls are joined by the Ferraris and Mercedes, the Haas and force India duo clearly opting for one run at the end.
Rosberg, Vettel and Verstappen set a strong pace on their out laps.
Ricciardo posts 31.240 but is leapfrogged by Verstappen (31.229), then Raikkonen, Rosberg and Hamilton, the Briton taking provisional pole with a 30.758.
The six are covered by just 0.482.
"I lost gear sync," says Verstappen, who is told to pit.
Following that frantic burst of activity there are a couple of minutes of nothing as we await the final assault.
The Red Bulls are first out, followed by the Force Indias and Grosjean. Hamilton heads out but is behind Raikkonen and just ahead of Grosjean. The Briton isn't happy.
Vettel, having asked his crew to "hold the car", is last out, the German advising that his rivals will be destroying their tyres.
Rosberg and Hamilton trade fastest sectors, as Raikkonen posts 30.949 to go second. However, moments later he is demoted when Rosberg improves with a 30.647.
Hamilton is unable to beat the German, crossing the line at 30.660 and missing out on pole by 0.013.
Vettel takes fourth, but has that penalty, ahead of Verstappen and Ricciardo.
Perez takes seventh, edging out Grosjean, who posted exactly the same time, Hulkenberg and Gutierrez.
Rosberg takes pole, his third consecutive pole at Suzuka, ahead of Hamilton, Raikkonen, Vettel, Verstappen, Ricciardo, Perez, Grosjean, Hulkenberg and Gutierrez.
Bottas will start eleventh, ahead of Massa, Kvyat, Sainz, Alonso, Palmer, Button, Magnussen, Ericsson, Nasr, Ocon and Wehrlein.
Despite that late scare from Hamilton, Rosberg sees off the threat, and takes another step towards the title. Understandably he punches the air in joy.
"It's all about the last chicane, it wasn't a fantastic lap," says Verstappen. "But we can race from here."
Vettel is also enthusiastic. "I had as good first sector, but has issues in the final sector, the last chicane. It's still a massive step on last year though."
"Woo Hoo!" says Perez, when told he's seventh.
"Good job everyone," says Grosjean, "we deserved it, we deserved it."
The top five covered by just half-a-second, Vettel with his grid penalty, Hamilton still smarting from Sepang and Rosberg finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel, we should be in for a thriller tomorrow.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Suzuka, here.