26/06/2010
NEWS STORY
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Ahead of today's all-important qualifying session, the air temperature is 25 degrees C, while the track temperature is 43 degrees. It remains bright and sunny.
While this weekend was expected to favour McLaren, it would appear that Red Bull still has the edge.
With the tight confines of the 24-corner street track expected to limit the Austrian cars, which seem more at home on flowing higher-speed tracks, the Milton Keynes outfit has served notice that it can raise its game when needed. Indeed, as Red Bull fights back it is McLaren that appears to struggle, with Ferrari, Renault and even Force India giving the Woking outfit a good run for its money this weekend.
McLaren, though saving its upgrades for Silverstone, was expected to shine here, and its performance in yesterday's opening session bore this out. However, ever since the team has appeared to struggle, to the extent of Button having a gurney flap fitted during this morning's session.
Red Bull is running its version of the F-duct this weekend, while Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault are running their versions of the so-called blown diffuser, a revised layout at the rear of the car which forces exhaust gases through a gap in the diffuser, thereby aiding aerodynamic efficiency. While this was pioneered by Red Bull, it is ironic that the Austrian team is now running the F-duct system devised by McLaren.
The tyres available this weekend are medium (prime) and super-soft (option), with Ferrari, in particular, appearing to struggle with the softer option this morning. Though these are the two options used in Canada we do not expect tyres to as significant here as they were in Montreal.
Despite previous expectations, it is expected that Red Bull will now continue where it left off in Turkey, certainly in terms of qualifying, however, it remains to be seen whether the Austrian team can return to its winning ways, especially with reliability still an issue.
While McLaren now looks to have to regard this weekend as damage limitation, it will be interesting to see how Ferrari, Renault and Force India perform. Mercedes, despite that improvement a couple of races back, continues to disappoint.
One small factor worth noting is that the organizers of the GP2 event have shortened the length of today's Feature Race due to issues with fuel consumption. Could this possibly be a problem in tomorrow's Grand Prix?
The lights go green and first out is Trulli, followed by Glock, di Grassi and Kovalainen.
The Italian posts the first time of the afternoon, his Lotus breaking the timing beam at 1:44.542. Moments later Glock posts 43.683 and Kovalainen 42.308.
As Hamilton, Button and Alonso leave the pits, Hulkenberg posts 39.758 to go quickest.
Alonso goes second to Hulkenberg with a 40.0285 but is demoted when Button posts 39.467 to go quickest.
A 39.288 sees Massa go quickest, as Liuzzi goes fourth, ahead of Alguersuari, Buemi, Kobayashi and Alonso. Most drivers on an initial four-lap run.
Alonso re-takes the top spot with a 38.736, much to the delight of the partisan crowd. Hamilton improves to second and Massa third as the Red Bull duo leave the pits. With eleven minutes remaining only Kubica hasn't made an appearance.
Barrichello goes third (39.210) only to be demoted by Webber who crosses the line at 38.857. Vettel goes fifth with a 38.932 but is leapfrogged by Button who posts 38.851.
Massa goes quickest in the first sector as Kubica finally leaves the pits. The Brazilian subsequently posts a 38.657 as Vettel goes quickest with a 38.324.
Schumacher is struggling, the German unable to improve on thirteenth (39.465).
Kubica's first flying lap sees the Pole go quickest, the Renault driver firmly slapping down the gauntlet for his rivals.
Other than the usual suspects, the Toro Rosso and Sauber drivers are just outside the danger zone.
Kubica improves yet again, the Pole crossing the line at 38.132. Vettel remains second, ahead of Alonso, Webber, Massa, Hamilton, Rosberg, Button, Liuzzi and Sutil.
With 2:15 on the clock, of the top ten only Button is on track as Barrichello posts 38.574 to go sixth. Schumacher slips down to seventeenth and into the danger zone, the German still not getting to grips with this track.
As the clock reaches zero, Schumacher is one of several drivers still on track and in with a chance of improving. "There may be a power steering problem," he is told, "do you think you can drive around it?". There is no response from the seven-time champ.
The response comes in the form of an improved time which sees the German go twelfth with a 38.994.
Therefore, we lose Kobayashi, Trulli, Kovalainen, di Grassi, Glock, Chandhok and Senna.
Quickest was Kubica, ahead of Vettel, Button, Barrichello, Alonso, Webber, Massa, Hamilton, Rosberg and Hulkenberg.
Q2 gets underway and Hamilton, Vettel, Alonso and Massa are among the first out. Indeed, all but Rosberg, Kubica and Buemi are on track within sixty seconds of the lights going green. Most drivers are on the prime tyre, Schumacher a notable exception.
Massa posts the first time of Q2, the Ferrari driver crossing the line at 38.591, however, Alonso and Hamilton (38.402) both go quicker.
Barrichello pops up in third with a 38.576 but is demoted when Webber posts 38.041 and Petrov (38.552).
Alonso retakes second with a 38.179 but moments later Vettel goes quickest overall with a 38.015. Elsewhere, Schumacher loses 3s in the final sector.
A 38.399 sees Button go sixth behind the Vettel, Webber, Alonso, Hamilton and Massa, however, Kubica snatches third with a 38.062.
With 7:125 on the clock, Massa goes quickest in the first sector, however, after a disappointing second sector the Ferrari driver dives into the pits.
Buemi, Rosberg, Sutil, Liuzzi, Schumacher, de la Rosa ad Alguersuari are in the danger zone with 5:15 on the clock.
While most drivers are going out on the option tyre, the Williams duo stick to the harder option.
Hamilton posts a personal best in the first sector, as Alguersuari does the same in the second.
Massa goes quickest overall in the first sector, the first driver looking likely to make a significant improvement. He has a disappointing second sector as does Hamilton, the Englishman losing almost 8s. Massa crosses the line at 38.046 to go third.
Schumacher fails to improve and misses the cut as does teammate Rosberg, both Mercedes out at the second hurdle. On the other hand, both Williams and both Renaults make it through to Q3 while - against all expectations - the Force Indias fail.
Quickest was Vettel, ahead of Webber, Massa, Kubica, Hamilton, Alonso, Barrichello, Button, Hulkenberg and Petrov.
We lose Buemi, Rosberg, Sutil, Liuzzi, Schumacher, de la Rosa and Alguersuari.
Vitaly Petrov wait patiently at the end of the pitlane for the start of Q3, the Renault driver ultimately joined by Hamilton, Alonso, Massa, Button and his Polish teammate. Within a minute or so all but the Williams are on track.
Petrov is the first driver to post a time, the Russian crossing the line at 38.822, however, Alonso, Button and then Hamilton (37.969) all go quicker.
A 37.852 sees Webber go quickest, while teammate Vettel posts 38.028 to go third. As most of the drivers head back to the pits, the Williams duo comes out to play, both on the softer option.
Hulkenberg goes fifth with a 38.428 while his teammate subsequently posts 56.309 having had trouble in the two final sectors.
All ten are on track with 1:55 on the clock, as Massa and Alonso trade fastest times in sector one. The Brazilian has a poor middle sector as Vettel goes quickest in the first. The German posts a personal best in the second sector, finally crossing the line at 37.587 to go quickest. But is it enough?
Hamilton makes a mistake in the final sector, as does Webber, leaving Button and Alonso as the only possible threats.
There are no significant improvements and consequently Vettel takes pole - his fourth of the season and his team's eighth - ahead of Webber, Hamilton, Alonso, Massa, Kubica, Button, Hulkenberg, Barrichello and Petrov.
A superb lap from the German especially considering that his team weren't expected to be competitive here. Fact is, since yesterday's second session it has been clear that the Austrian outfit has the edge, despite the best efforts of its rivals.
Hamilton has to be delighted with third, while surely fourth and fifth is better than Ferrari was expecting.
Kubica will no doubt be feeling disappointed with sixth, but all things considered even that was a considerable achievement, especially with Petrov getting his car into the top ten.
A great result for Williams, getting both its cars into the top ten, while Force India will be gutted, though not as much as Mercedes.
Sadly, Montreal has spoiled us, and though we never really expected anything special here, we had at least hoped for a few surprises. Maybe we were asking too much.