Singapore Grand Prix – Qualifying

Sixth running of the Singapore Grand Prix; the track is slightly changed from last year, with the removal of a chicane.

Fastest in Free Practice 1: HAM (1:47.055), WEB, VET, ROS, RAI. FP2: VET (1:44.249), WEB, ROS, HAM, GRO. FP3: VET (1:44.173), GRO, ROS, WEB, HAM.

Air temperature 29°C; track 31°C; humidity 69%; wind 1.9m/s
Remember this is a night race under floodlights, starting at 8pm local time (9pm for Quali), so track temp will drop a little.

Tyre choices: prime=medium (white lettering); option=super-soft (red).

RAI apparently has back pains for which he’s had injections but will take part in Qualifying.
Of course RAI was in the news since the last race as he’s signed to move from Lotus to Ferrari.

Qualifying session 1 (Q1)
Lights turn green but no sign of anyone leaving the pits
MAL first on track
Radio for MAL – 3 laps: fast, slow, fast
DIR and RAI head out too
12 cars on track – everyone on primes
MAL 1:48.458
GRO 1:48.385
HAM 1:47.087
ROS 1:46.288
10mins into Q1 = 5mins left; no sign of VET, WEB or PER
HUL 1:45.381
Some of the lower teams now running on options
ALO on options too
(VET P2)
WEB 1:45.271
5mins left of Q1; bottom 6 are VDG, BIA, PIC, CHI, SUT, and no time from PER
HAM and ROS on options too – only WEB, VET, GRO and MAS on primes right now
3mins left of Q1; bottom 6 are VDG, BIA, PIC, CHI, SUT, and no time from PER but he’s now on track
ROS 1:45.208
PER 1:45.164
BUT 1:45.009
HAM 1:44.196
1min left of Q1; bottom 6 are MAL, MAS, VDG, BIA, PIC, CHI
VDG slaps the wall – lots of sparks but he’s still running
Chequered flag
(PIC P19)
(MAS P13, relegating DIR)
Back of the grid: DIR, MAL, PIC, VDG, BIA, CHI
Everyone inside the 107% time

Qualifying 2
RAI first to exit the pit lane, followed by RIC
Radio for RAI – two timed laps
Everyone is heading out on scrubbed options, except HUL & SUT on new options
RAI 1:44.794 — that’s odd, the live timing app is showing a different lap time
ROS 1:43.892
Radio for HAM saying they’re getting ready for another run – he’s currently P2
VET 1:42.905
(WEB P2)
2mins left; bottom 6 are VER, RIC, GUT, BOT; no time from BUT or PER
BUT and PER on track
Chequered flag
(RIC P7, relegating SUT)
(VER P9, bumping RAI)
(SUT only P12)
(RAI doesn’t improve on P12!)
(GUT P6, moving VER back into P11)
(PER P13)
(BUT P10, pushing HUL to P11)
Middle of the grid: HUL, VER, RAI, PER, SUT, BOT

Qualifying 3
Top 10 shootout is between VET, WEB, ALO, MAS, BUT, GRO, ROS, HAM, GUT & RIC
Queue forming at pit exit
Lights turn green and VET leads away
VET 1:42.841
(WEB P2)
(ROS P2)
(HAM P4)
(GRO P5)
BUT on primes but re-enters the pits without setting a time
VET gets out of his car, confident in his time
1min left of Q3; order is VET, ROS, WEB, HAM, GRO; BUT; no time from ALO, GUT, RIC
Chequered flag
(MAS P6)
(ROS P2)
(WEB P3)
(RIC P7)
(ALO P7)
(HAM P4)
(GRO P3)
(BUT P8)
Front of the grid: VET, ROS, GRO, WEB, HAM, MAS, ALO, BUT, RIC, GUT

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