Bahrain Grand Prix 2013: Qualifying

Firstly, I am not watching qualifying live. I have been completing a job outside and so the result has already been decided. Some news though, Lewis Hamilton will receive a 5 place grid penalty for having to change his gearbox after a third practice accident. Mark Webber and Esteban Gutierrez will also have 5 place penalties. The penalties will be applied in the order the incidents happened: Gutierrez, Webber then Hamilton.

Qualifying 1: Will there be a long wait for action again today? Bahrain tends to be dusty, so I would imagine that the bigger teams won’t want to take the hit. Nico Hulkenberg sets the first fastest time of the session of 1m34.409s which is beaten by Jean-Eric Vergne (1m34.314s). Nico Rosberg then goes quickest (1m33.364s) but we haven’t seen anything from either Red Bull or Hamilton. The only real incident so far has been Kimi Raikkonen taking a turn too fast to ruin a lap. Fernando Alonso shatters the time of Rosberg with a 1m32.878s. This proves to be the fastest lap set by nearly half a second. Once again, a Williams car is knocked out in the first section of qualifying. Maldonado’s time was identical to his team mate’s but Valtteri Bottas’ time was set first so he can continue in qualifying. Remember that penalties still have to be applied, so these won’t be the final positions.

17. Pastor Maldonado, Williams-Renault, 1m34.425s
18. Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber-Ferrari, 1m34.730s
19. Chalres Pic, Caterham-Renault, 1m35.283s
20. Jules Bianchi, Marussia-Cosworth, 1m36.178s
21. Giedo van der Garde, Caterham-Renault, 1m36.304s
22. Max Chilton, Marussia-Cosworth, 1m36.476s

Qualifying 2: Jules Binachi’s car is surrounded by people with fire extinguishers. No major drama though. Hulkenberg is again the first man to set a time, a 1m34.947s on the softer tyres, though he is swiftly beaten first by Webber, then by Vettel (1m33.471s). Seven minutes into the session, Paul di Resta beats both Red Bulls and goes fastest with a 1m33.332s although his time is beaten by both Alonso and Rosberg (1m32.867s.) Sebastian Vettel however, shows the rest the way after the chequered flag has fallen and sets a time of 1m32.746s. The eliminations from Q2 are:;

11. Romain Grosjean, Lotus-Renault, 1m33.762s
12. Sergio Perez, McLaren-Mercedes, 1m33.914s
13. Daniel Ricciardo, Toro Rosso Ferrari, 1m33.974s
14. Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber-Ferrari, 1m33.976s
15. Valtteri Bottas, Williams-Renault, 1m34.105s
16. Jean-Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso-Ferrari, 1m34.284s

Qualifying 3: Here are the top 10 drivers who will battle it out for the best positions on the grid: Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber, Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa, Jenson Button, Kimi Raikkonen, Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton, Paul di Resta, Adrian Sutil. Don’t forget that Webber and Hamilton will have penalties applied after the qualifying session has been completed. Di Resta is the first to set a lap (1m33.388s),  quickly followed by Rosberg (1m32.762s). In the last few moments, Rosberg improves to set a 1m32.330s. This would prove to be the best time set as nobody can get near him – Vettel gets closest with a 1m32.584s.

1. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, 1m32.330s
2. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull-Renault, 1m32.584s
3. Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, 1m32.667s
4. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 1m32.762
5. Mark Webber, Red Bull-Renault, 1m33.078s
6. Felipe Massa, Ferrari, 1m33.207s
7. Paul di Resta, Force India-Mercedes, 1m33.235s
8. Adrian Sutil, Force India-Mercedes, 1m33.246s
9. Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus-Renault, 1m33.327s
10. Jenson Button, McLaren-Mercedes, no time set.

The grid (after penalties – drivers receiving penalties in italics):

1. Rosberg
2. Vettel
3. Alonso
4. Massa
5. di Resta
6. Sutil
7. Webber
8. Raikkonen
9. Hamilton
10. Button
11. Grosjean
12. Perez
13. Ricciardo
14. Hulkenberg
15. Bottas
16. Vergne
17. Maldonado
18. Pic
19. Bianchi
20. van der Garde
21. Chilton
22. Gutierrez