Paul Henman formula1 Grand Prix of Italy – Qualifying

Grand Prix of Italy – Qualifying

F1

It’s only a few days since the Grand Prix of Belgium, but after lap 1 it wasn’t very exciting so hopefully Monza can make up for that.

Free Practice:

  1. FP1: PER (1:34.000), RAI, OCO, HAR, RIC
    An uneventful but wet session
  2. FP2: VET (1:21.105), RAI, HAM, BOT, VER
    ERI had a big incident when his DRS failed to close under braking for the first chicane; the car was a mess but ERI was fine [video]
    VET spun across a large run-off area at Parabolica and touched the wall with his rear wing but managed to rejoin the track [F1]
  3. FP3: VET (1:20.509), HAM, RAI, BOT, VER
    HUL reports a problem with his DRS (stuck open) and is told to pit – sounds similar to the cause of ERI’s accident yesterday
    GRO waved his fist at HAR for backing off and getting in the way of the Haas

Penalties:

  • HUL has a 10-place grid penalty for causing the Turn 1 collision at Spa last week [F1]
  • HUL makes a tactical engine change, but the additional penalties make no real difference [F1]
  • RIC takes a new engine in readiness for Singapore, so the associated penalties will push him to the back of the grid [F1] (VER makes the same engine swap but is within the allowed number of changes)
  • ERI also has a penalty for the engine change needed after his FP2 accident

Qualifying session 1 (Q1)
Air temperature 19°C; track 28°C; FIA official forecast says 80% chance of rain for qualifying
HAR 1:23.684
LEC 1:23.097
VET 1:21.578
RAI 1:20.937
(HAM P2)
VET 1:20.758
(RAI P2)
VET 1:20.542
5mins left; bottom 5 are HUL, ERI, GAS, HAR and no time yet from RIC
RIC P4; LEC bumped down to P16
LEC P13; SIR P16
ERI P14; VAN P16
2mins left; bottom 5 are VAN, SIR, HUL, GAS, HAR
GAS P18
HAR P18
SIR P14; STR P16
Chequered flag; bottom 5 are STR, VAN, HAR, GAS, HUL
STR P16; ERI P16
HUL P10; LEC P16
SIR P11; PER P16
Back of the grid: PER, LEC, HAR, ERI, VAN

Qualifying session 2
Clouds have lightened up, so maybe we won’t see rain
MAG runs wide, dips his wheels into a gravel trap
GRO 1:21567
HAM 1:19.798
VET 1:19.785
BOT called to the weighbridge; brakes on a wet patch (under a gantry) and puts his Mercedes sideways in the pit entrance; fortunately his mechanics were there ready for him and can line him up quickly
5mins left of Q2; bottom 5 are ALO, HUL, RIC, SIR, STR
SIR touches some gravel but keeps up his momentum
Chequered flag
VET 1:19.629
GAS P10; SIR P11
STR P7; MAG P11
MAG and ALO wheel-to-wheel into Turn 1; they mess up both their laps, and they both fail to go through to Q3
Middle of the grid: MAG, SIR, ALO, HUL, RIC

Race control: stewards will investigate MAG/ALO incident

Qualifying session 3
Top 10 shootout is between VET, HAM, RAI, VER, BOT, GRO, OCO, STR, SAI and GAS
OCO 1:21.407
GAS P2
GRO 1:21.340
VET 1:19.497
RAI 1:19.459
VER P3
HAM 1:19.390
BOT P4
SAI P6
Order after 1st run: HAM, RAI, VET, BOT, VER, SAI, GRO, OCO, GAS, no time yet from STR
Everyone on track for a final run
Chequered flag
VER P5
BOT P4
HAM 1:19.294
VET 1:19.280
RAI 1:19.119
SAI P6
GAS P8
OCO P7
GRO P6
Front of the grid: RAI, VET, HAM, BOT, VER, GRO, SAI, OCO, GAS, STR

VET clearly disappointed that RAI took P1
The Italian “fans” are as sporting as ever, booing HAM – classy!

Provisional grid: RAI, VET, HAM, BOT, VER, GRO, SAI, OCO, GAS, STR, MAG, SIR, ALO, HUL*, RIC*, PER, LEC, HAR, ERI*, VAN
*penalties to be applied

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