Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Qualifying

Tyre compounds this weekend: prime = medium (white band); option = soft (yellow)

Air temperature 29°C; track 31°C; wind 2.3m/s; humidity 53%; dry

Qualifying 1 (Q1)
KK 1:43.939
PM 1:42.595
FA 1:42.574
(JB P3)
PM 1:42.375
DR has a loose engine cover
LH locks up, cuts the chicane and ruins his lap
10mins left of Q1; bottom 7 are TG, PRo, VP, NK; no time yet from NR, SV, MW
FA 1:42.115
Radio from PRe – “traffic is a disaster”
LH 1:41.497
SV runs wide, smacks the wall with his rear-right wheel – that’s very unusual at this circuit
5mins left of Q1; bottom 7 are JV, HK, CP, TG, PRo, VP, NK; everyone inside the current 107% time
Radio for SV – “lap is good enough” (to get through to Q2)
2mins left; JV, HK, CP, VP, TG, PRo, NK all in danger of not making it to Q2
JV loses the tail and spins his Toro Rosso; just gets across the line with time for one more lap
Chequered flag; bottom 7 are JV, HK, TG, CP, VP, PRo, NK
Incident involving cars 15 and 19 (SP & BS) will be investigated after qualifying
(CP P19)
(HK P19)
Back of the grid: JV, HK, CP, VP, TG, PRo, NK.
Everyone’s inside the 107% time (LH, 1:41.497 -> 1:48.601)

Qualifying 2
PRe and the Saubers (SP & KK) out of the pit lane first; everyone’s on options
SP 1:42.313
PRe pits without setting a time
PM 1:41.907
KR 1:41.635
RG 1:41.628
MW 1:41.558
LH 1:41.366
(FA P2)
(SV P2)
Radio for FA telling him to stay calm after the French-Italian gesticulated at MW (who was way ahead of him!)
MW 1:41.277
LH 1:40.901
5mins left of Q2; bottom 7 are MS, SP, BS, KK, DR, NH, DR; no time from PRe yet
(NH P10, demoting NR)
(PRe P11)
(SP P11)
Top 6 are sitting in the garage
2mins left; bottom 7 are SP, PRe, NR, MS, KK, BS, DR
NR on a quick lap
(NR P7, moving NH to P11)
Chequered flag
Middle of the grid: NH, SP, PRe, MS, BS, KK, DR
Radio for MS – team apologise as he’s in P14; MS apologises back, saying he was confused about (KERS) harvest

Qualifying 3
The fight for the top 10 grid spots is between LH, MW, SV, FA, KR, RG, NR, FM, JB & PM
KR waits at the pit exit; lights turn green for the start of the 10min Q3 session
Sun is setting; floodlights are on
KR 1:41.756
(RG P2)
FA 1:41.582
(NR P2)
LH 1:40.630
(SV P2)
PM still in the pits – will he set a time or settle for P10? … and with that he exits his garage
(FM P6)
NR out of his car
1min left; everyone except NR on track for a final flying lap; order is LH, SV, MW, FA, NR, FM, JB, KR, RG, PM
(PM P3)
Chequered flag; LH, SV, PM, MW, FA, NR, FM, JB, KR, RG
(KR P5)
(MW P2)
(FA doesn’t improve on P6)
(SV P3)
(JB P6)
LH enters the pit lane – his pole time is safe
Unsafe release involving cars 10 and 5 (RG & FA) will be investigated after qualifying
SV has stopped on track on his cool down lap
Front of the grid: LH, MW, SV, PM, KR, JB, FA, NR, FM, RG

Provisional grid: LH, MW, SV, PM, KR, JB, FA, NR, FM, RG, NH, SP, PRe, MS, BS, KK, DR, JV, HK, CP, VP, TG, PRo, NK.

Under investigation:

• Q1: Incident involving cars 15 and 19 (SP & BS) will be investigated after qualifying
• Q3: Unsafe release involving cars 10 and 5 (RG & FA) will be investigated after qualifying