Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi – Qualifying

The Drivers’ Championship and Constructors’ Championship were both settled a while ago, but there are still other places to be settled this weekend as the 2015 F1 season comes to an end.

Hopefully Williams get their tyre temperatures right, unlike in Brazil.

Tyre choices: prime=soft (yellow lettering), option=supersoft (red)

Qualifying Session 1 (Q1)
RIC slides the tail as he exits his garage
BBC suggest the cut-off (to get through to Q2) is 1:42.8
RIC 1:43.401
HAM 1:40.974 on options
(ROS P2)
5mins left of Q1; bottom 5 are KVY, BUT, ERI, STE, MER
KVY jumps to P8, relegating NAS to P16
BOT quickest through the speed trap at 338.1 km/h (210.1 mph)
Radio for ERI – we have a problem; frustration
ALO has a left rear puncture
Chequered flag; bottom 5 are NAS, BUT, ERI, STE, MER
BUT improves hugely – up to P9, but that pushes teammate ALO out
NAS to P12, dropping GRO to P16
GRO P10, VET to P16
VET’s backed out of his quick lap, so he’s not going to make it to Q2
Back of the grid: VET, ALO, ERI, STE, MER
Reply shows ALO clip some bodywork debris and cause his puncture

Qualifying Session 2 (Q2)
Both Mercedes on track without much delay, same as Q1
MAS 1:42.362
HAM 1:40.758
(ROS P2)
Big oversteer moment for MAS
Radio for HUL warning him of deflating front left tyre
Radio for GRO – “bring the car back slowly”
5mins left; bottom 5 are BUT, MAL, NAS and no time yet from RAI or GRO
RAI post a good time – goes P3, which relegates SAI
Lotus manage to send GRO out; tell him to do a quick out-lap
GRO pulls off to the side of the track
Chequered flag; bottom 5 are SAI, BUT, MAL, NAS, GRO
SAI to P10, pushing VES to P11
BUT improves his time but still P12
Middle of the grid: VES, BUT, MAL, NAS, GRO

Qualifying Session 3 (Q3)
Top 10 shootout is between HAM, ROS, PER, RAI, RIC, BOT, HUL, KVY, MAS, SAI
PER 1:41.184
HUL P2
RIC P2
HAM 1:41.016
BOT P4
KVY P6
ROS 1:40.738
RAI P4
MAS P7
Order so far: ROS, HAM, PER, RAI, RIC, BOT, MAS, HUL, KVY (No time yet from SAI)
Chequered flag
KVY P7
BOT P6
HAM 1:40.614
RAI P3
HUL P7
MAS P8
ROS 1:40.237
SAI P10
6th consecutive pole for ROS

Provisional grid: ROS, HAM, RAI, PER, RIC, BOT, HUL, MAS, KVY, SAI; VES, BUT, MAL, NAS, GRO; VET, ALO, ERI, STE, MER