28/08/2010
NEWS STORY
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Ahead of today's all-important qualifying session the air temperature is 16 degrees C, while the track temperature is 22 degrees.
In the two hours since the end of free practice the weather has changed almost constantly and it is likely that there will be further downpours during this session. That said, it is currently quite bright with the sun shining down however, as we know from experience, all that can change very quickly… and usually does.
While Fernando Alonso topped the timesheets in both of yesterday's sessions it was Mark Webber who led the way this morning. That said, due to the constantly changing conditions it has been almost impossible to get a line on who's hot and who's not thus far, and in all honesty that looks likely to continue, especially if the weather gods continue to play games with us.
Ferrari looks good, so do McLaren - despite the (relative) lack of updates. And while Red Bull are playing down their chances here and at Monza, both Webber and Vettel look hungry. Then there's Renault with its raft of updates - astonishing when you think they've only had one week in which to build them - and Adrian Sutil looking very, very good in the force India.
Mercedes will surely be hoping for rain - especially Schumacher who forfeits ten grid places following his silliness in Germany - while Williams and Sauber are both looking good to add a few more points to their tallies this weekend.
Talking of penalties, Nico Rosberg will forfeit five grid places tomorrow after his team opted to change the gearbox on his Mercedes.
Minutes before the session gets underway, Petrov is told that rain is expected halfway through.
The Virgin duo head the queue at the end of the pitlane, a queue that includes most of the big guns, wisely eager to get in a 'banker lap'. Surprisingly, Button is on the option tyre.
On hit out lap Petrov runs over the kerb and spins off into the barriers just after Rivage, his session is over almost before it has begun. The session is red-flagged as the marshals remove the Russian's car.
The session resumes at 14:08 with everyone switching to options, Button having effectively wasted the set he was originally using.
As the queue waits at the end of the pitlane - headed by a Toro Rosso - the rain is clearly moving in. Red Bull are the last team to release their cars.
Halfway through the out lap rain is already falling on the far side of the track. As the drivers jostle for position, Schumacher loses out to Trulli… it's almost like a race.
There's chaos at Stavelot as the rain falls harder, several cars running wide and di Grassi spinning.
With the drivers only likely to get in one hot lap, it's a mad scramble. After the first flying lap Hamilton is quickest (1:56.706) ahead of Button and Massa. Vettel can only manage seventeenth, the German suffering due to his cold tyres.
As the rain continues to fall, only one section of the track, the timing screens don't shown any significant improvements. Vettel could be the real loser here.
The entire field heads back to the pits, though moments later Vettel is back on track in intermediates. di Grassi and Trulli are also on track, the two having been involved in the earlier incident at Stavelot.
Trulli (on inters) improves to twelfth, with Vettel going third (58.487) moments later.
With 5:50 on the clock more drivers pour on to the track.
Sutil, who posts a personal best in S2, crosses the line at 58.730 to go fifth. At present the big winners are Glock and Yamamoto, while both Toro Rosso drivers are in the danger zone.
Senna improves to fifteenth, leapfrogging Hulkenberg and Kubica. Elsewhere, Rosberg and Vettel are back on track on options… as is Webber.
Moments after Kubica goes quickest with a 56.041, Kobayashi goes off at Rivage. However, there is no sign of the red flag.
As Hulkenberg goes fourth (57.963), de la Rosa goes off into the gravel, a dreadful couple of minutes for Sauber.
Having gone quickest of all, Rosberg crosses the line at 54.826 to take the top spot. Hulkenberg takes second ahead of Barrichello.
Schumacher goes fifth with a 56.313 as Q1 comes to a close, leaving Trulli, Kobayashi, Senna, Yamamoto, de la Rosa, di Grassi and Petrov watching the rest of the session from the sidelines.
Rosberg was quickest, ahead of Hulkenberg, Barrichello, Kubica, Schumacher, Hamilton, Alonso, Webber, Button and Massa. The big news however, is that both Lotus (Kovalainen) and Virgin (Glock) have a car in Q2.
As Q2 gets underway the sun is shining and the sky is blue, indeed, Sutil is told that there is no more rain imminent. Hamilton is first out, followed by his McLaren teammate. Some drivers on primes and others on options.
Hamilton and Button make it a McLaren 1-2, the 2008 champ posting 50.794. Moments later however, Rosberg splits the Woking duo with a 52.353 before he is leapfrogged by Kubica and then Webber (51.209).
Hamilton consolidates his top spot with a 49.853 as Alguersuari goes second and Vettel third. A 50.544 sees Alonso go fourth ahead of Schumacher while a replay shows Button running wide at Stavelot.
Moments after Liuzzi spins Alonso goes wide and into the gravel. Elsewhere, Schumacher goes quickest in S2 crossing the line at 49.028. However, moments later Vettel posts 48.710.
Another Ferrari in the gravel however, this time it's Massa, who, like his teammate, is able to continue. With 6:15 on the clock Kovalainen finally leaves the pits.
Glock improves to fifteenth, just two place behind Button but ahead of Liuzzi.
Button goes quickest in S1, and again in S2. At the line the Englishman posts 47.421 to go quickest, a great lap.
As Kovalainen goes fifteenth (52.568), Hamilton goes quickest in S2. The McLaren driver crosses the line at 46.441 to take the top spot from his teammate.
Massa improves to third with a 47.581 only to be demoted when Kubica posts 47.378 to go second. Moments later Vettel crosses the line at 24.245 to go second as Hamilton looks set to raise the benchmark ever higher. Sure enough, Hamilton posts a 46.211.
As Q2 comes to a close all eyes are on Webber who posts personal bests in the first and second sectors. He crosses the line at 47.253 to go fourth.
Hamilton is quickest, ahead of Button, Vettel, Webber, Sutil, Kubica, Massa, Alonso, Barrichello and Hulkenberg.
We lose Schumacher, Rosberg, Alguersuari, Liuzzi, Buemi, Kovalainen and Glock.
Hamilton leads the seven car queue at the end of the pitlane for the start of Q3, a heat haze now clearly visible over the track. On their out lap the McLarens and Ferrari are running very close together… indeed, strangely so.
Hamilton is quickest in S1 but teammate Button is quicker in S2. At the line Hamilton posts 46.203 while Massa goes second and Button third. However, Webber, Kubica and Vettel all go quicker, the Australian posts a 45.778.
Barrichello goes seventh and Alonso eighth, the Spaniard having a poor first flying lap.
The drivers are only doing one hot lap on the options, returning for a fresh set for that final assault on pole.
As Barrichello improves to seventh and Sutil goes eighth, Alonso drops to tenth. At which point it begins raining in the pitlane.
With 1:50 on the clock it is getting noticeably darker and thereby cooler. Vettel is told that there are spots of rain in Turn 1, but to ignore them as they are "spots of rain, nothing more".
Alonso runs wide after Malmedy, kicking up a cloud of dust. At the line the Ferrari driver posts 47.441 to stay tenth.
Vettel goes quickest in S2 but fails to improve, late charges see Button and Hamilton improve but they are unable to match Webber's time, the Australian taking his fifth pole of the year.
So, Mark Webber will start the Belgian Grand Prix from pole, ahead of Hamilton, Kubica, Vettel, Button, Massa, Barrichello, Sutil, Hulkenberg and Alonso.
Against all odds - seemingly - Red Bull has done just what's needed, despite the best efforts of McLaren and Robert Kubica in the Renault.
However, as the dark clouds roll in we can be certain that this weekend has a few more surprises in store and neither Webber nor his team will be able to take anything for granted.