Paul Henman formula1 Chinese Grand Prix – Qualifying

Chinese Grand Prix – Qualifying

It’s a dry but breezy start to the Qualifying session; air temperature 28°C, track 40°C, humidity 11%, wind 4.9m/s

Tyres for this race weekend: prime=hard, option=soft
Second suspension change on RAI’s Lotus – he clearly wasn’t happy with the car’s performance in Practice

Qualifying 1
Pit lane lights turn green but there’s no rush to get on track
5mins in to Q1 and still no activity
8mins without anyone on track – it’s going to be a busy second half of the session
BIA first to exit the garage, followed by his Marussia team-mate CHI
ROS exits the Mercedes garage – he’s on the option tyre (soft compound) so presumably just one quick lap
It’s not unusual for the “lower” teams to start Q1 on the softer tyre, but even the front runners are on options
BIA 1:39.025
(RIC, VER, CHI, VDG, PIC all slower)
ROS 1:35.959
HAM 1:35.793
RAI seems to be moving around a lot under braking
3mins left; 4 drivers yet to set a time but they’re all on track
2mins left; bottom 6 are RIC, VER, CHI, VDG, PIC, BOT
(BOT P15, pushing BIA to P17)
Chequered flag
(VER P15; GUT to P17)
(RIC P11; BOT to P17)
Back of the grid: BOT, GUT, BIA, CHI, PIC, VDG.
Radio from SUT complaining RAI “destroyed my lap”

Qualifying 2
Again, no rush for anyone to get on track
VET going out on scrubbed options
Radio for VET – “1 timed lap”
VET 1:36.260
ALO 1:36.186
WEB has parked his Red Bull off track – he did set a time but it may not be enough to get in to Q3
RAI 1:35.659
ROS 1:35.537
HAM 1:35.078 – that’s the fastest lap time all weekend so far
GRO still in the Lotus garage – should be leaving shortly for 1 run
4mins left; bottom 6 are RIC, SUT, PER, VER, MAL, GRO
WEB in P8 but he could be bumped down
Chequered flag
(VER P10, pushing BUT to P11)
(MAL P10, VER to P11)
(SUT P9, WEB to P11)
(GRO P6)
(BUT P6)
Bottom 6: DIR, PER, SUT, WEB, MAL, VER

Qualifying 1
Fighting over the top 10 spots are VET, ALO, MAS, BUT, RAI, GRO, ROS, HAM, HUL & RIC
VET first on track again … but backs off as soon as he starts a timed lap
Everyone exits the pits; only time for 1 lap each; all on options except VET and BUT
Chequered flag; no timed laps yet!
RAI 1:34.761
ROS P2
HAM 1:34.484
ALO P3
MAS P5
GRO P6
RIC P7
BUT P8
VET and HUL did not set a time
Front of the grid: HAM, RAI, ALO, ROS, MAS, GRO, RIC, BUT, VET, HUL

Interesting – VET and HUL will be able to pick the tyres on which they’ll start the race; BUT will start on primes (hard compound) and the top 7 on options (soft).

Provisional grid: HAM, RAI, ALO, ROS, MAS, GRO, RIC, BUT, VET, HUL; DIR, PER, SUT, WEB, MAL, VER, BOT, GUT, BIA, CHI, PIC, VDG.

2 thoughts on “Chinese Grand Prix – Qualifying”

  1. WEB penalised for lack of fuel – he’ll drop from P14 to the very back of the grid (P22).

    “Red Bull later confirmed that the stoppage was caused by a refuelling problem that led to 3kg of fuel not being delivered to Webber’s RB9.

    “The fuel bowser has been immediately quarantined for further investigation,” said team principal Christian Horner, after stewards found just 150ml of fuel in Webber’s car.”

    [source: FIA]

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