Category: Qualify

Vettel takes pole in Suzuka qualifying 0

F12009 / Formula 1 / Qualify / Red Bull / Suzuka

Vettel takes pole in Suzuka qualifying

Sebastian Vettel will start from pole position in tomorrow’s Japanese Grand Prix after an action-packed qualifying session at Suzuka this afternoon. The scheduled qualifying hour was delayed by three red flag periods courtesy of three separate crashes in Q2 and Q3, eventually ending half an hour late.

With Red Bull’s Mark Webber having been ruled out of qualifying after damaging his chassis in final practice, just four drivers would be eliminated in Q1. After a largely trouble-free session for most drivers, Giancarlo Fisichella (1m31.704s) dropped out at the first hurdle for the second successive time, followed closely by home hero Kazuki Nakajima (1m31.718s) who was unable to turn local knowledge into a Q2-worthy laptime.

Hamilton on pole for Singapore Grand Prix 2

F12009 / Mclaren / Qualify / Singapore

Hamilton on pole for Singapore Grand Prix

Hamilton had been on the pace throughout the session, and was the last to post his first timed lap in Q3, taking provisional pole. But with only one run remaining for all drivers, Rubens Barrichello brought out the red flags when he crashed at turn 5, damaging the left side of his car. Although he was able to emerge unscathed from the crash, the red flag meant the session was effectively over, with just 26 seconds left on the clock.

Hamilton then claimed pole thanks to his initial lap of 1m47.891s, with the rest of the top ten also decided on the first run of flying laps. Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel took second place alongside Hamilton with a 1m48.204s, followed Nico Rosberg (1m48.348s) producing a fantastic performance in his Williams. The German had gone quickest of all in Q2, setting the weekend’s fastest time at 1m46.197s, but fell back slightly with race fuel in Q3.

Alonso secured pole after a chaotic Qualifying at Hungary 0

F12009 / Formula 1 / hungary / Qualify / Renault

Alonso secured pole after a chaotic Qualifying at Hungary

Fernando Alonso has secured a surprising pole position for tomorrow’s Hungarian Grand Prix after an action-packed qualifying in Budapest this afternoon. After the final Q3 session was delayed after a high-speed crash for Felipe Massa, a timing system failure threw the final result into confusion before Alonso was eventually confirmed as pole-sitter almost 10 minutes after the end of the session.

Alonso’s time of 1m21.569s was less than a tenth quicker than Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel (1m21.607s), with his team-mate Mark Webber a further tenth adrift on 1m21.741s. Lewis Hamilton will start a season-best fourth on 1m21.839, followed closely by Williams’ Nico Rosberg (1m21.890s). Rounding out the rest of the top ten were Heikki Kovalainen (1m22.095s), Kimi Räikkönen (1m22.468s), Jenson Button (1m22.511s) and Kazuki Nakajima (1m22.835s), while Massa will start 10th tomorrow if he is declared fit to race.

Webber secures maiden pole in German Grand Prix 0

F12009 / Formula 1 / Germany / Qualify / Red Bull

Webber secures maiden pole in German Grand Prix

Red Bull’s Mark Webber secured his maiden pole position for tomorrow’s German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring this afternoon, in what was a hugely entertaining and highly unpredictable qualifying. Rain mid-way through the qualifying hour caused chaos throughout the pitlane, before things finally settled down at the end of Q3 when pacesetters Red Bull and Brawn rose to the top of the timesheets.

After a chaotic qualifying session, the provisional grid for tomorrow’s grid reads: Webber, Barrichello, Button, Vettel, Hamilton, Kovalainen, Sutil, Massa, Räikkönen, Piquet, Heidfeld, Alonso, Nakajima, Trulli, Rosberg, Kubica, Buemi, Fisichella, Glock and Bourdais.

Vettel secures pole position in Button’s home grand prix Silverstone 0

F12009 / Formula 1 / Qualify / Red Bull

Vettel secures pole position in Button’s home grand prix Silverstone

Sebastian Vettel stormed to his second successive pole position after dominating qualifying in Silverstone this afternoon. The German, who had topped both practice sessions yesterday, showed his hand in Q2 by going quickest, before eclipsing the field by over a third of a second in the decisive Q3 session, crossing the line just ten seconds after Rubens Barrichello to demote the Brazilian to second on the grid.

Vettel pips Button to Istanbul pole 1

F12009 / Formula 1 / Istanbul / Qualify / Red Bull

Vettel pips Button to Istanbul pole

Qualifying for the Turkish Grand Prix saw Sebastian Vettel claim the pole position for the Red Bull Renault team ahead of the dominant Brawn Mercedes duo of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello. Behind there were a few surprises such as McLaren struggling more than expected and BMW Sauber picking up the pace with the new aero package.

Button got pole in Monaco ahead of Raikkonen 2

Bahrain / BRAWN GP / China / F12009 / Formula 1 / Monaco / Qualify

Button got pole in Monaco ahead of Raikkonen

Jenson Button once again got pole position this season at Monaco Grand Prix. Despite his struggle in early stages of Qualify today he did an exceptional lap at dying moments of Q3 and secured pole position. Raikkonen was second just 0.025 seconds behind Button despite he was the fastest man in Q2 with almost six tenths quicker than last years best Q2 time. Barrichello from Brawn was third ahead of Vettel in fourth who didn’t seem to be on pace this week. Massa was fifth who crashed his car at the beginning of Q1 but was lucky enough to continue. Rosberg was sixth, Kovalainen seventh and Webber was eight before tomorrow’s race.

The real drama was Hamilton’s crash at first session after posting the best first sector time. Hamilton seemed very strong all week here and he could deliver a very strong performance today if he didn’t crash. Another big surprise was seeing both cars of teams BMW and Toyota to be knocked out in Q1 while Force India and Torro Rosso drivers were in top 15. Car weights are yet to be published by FIA, but most of the time strategy is more important at this circuit than the raw speed.

Button leads Vettel to Spanish GP pole 0

BRAWN GP / F12009 / Formula 1 / Qualify

Button leads Vettel to Spanish GP pole

Button will start tomorrow’s race from pole position as he secured his third pole position of this season. He managed to start his last flying lap in Q3 when just a couple of seconds left to the finish and he described his last lap as the best of the weekend after qualifying. Vettel was second only one tenth of a second slower than Button. Barrichello was third as he was first until the very last moments of Q3.

Another good performer of Qualifying was Massa who will start fourth on the grid, the only man with KERS at top ten. He was fastest at Q1 and was only two tenths slower than the fastest man Barrichello in Q2. It seems Ferrari improved a lot after their latest updates. Webber will start fifth in front of both Toyota’s as Glock sixth and Truli seventh. Countryman Alonso was eight fastest as he managed to pass to Q3 at last second. The last two drivers at top ten was Rosberg and Kubica who will start ninth and tenth respectively.

Toyota locked-out front row in Bahrain Qualifying 0

Bahrain / F12009 / Formula 1 / Qualify

Toyota locked-out front row in Bahrain Qualifying

Jarno Truli led Toyota’s first ever front row lock-out in qualifying. He set the benchmark at Q3 with 1m33.431s and comfortably beat his team-mate Timo Glock who suffered from a mechanical failure during morning’s practice session. Vettel who was the fastest at Q2 with only one flying lap secured 3rd position for tomorrow’s race.

Button from Brawn GP was fourth fastest who admitted they are no longer ahead. He closely followed by Lewis Hamiton who is hopeful for a podium finish for tomorrow’s race thanks to their updates. Rubens Barrichello was sixth ahead of Fernando Alonso who is seventh. Felipe Massa set the eight fastest time in Q3 with a last minute attempt. Nico Rosberg was ninth and Kimi Raikkonen was 10th after and encouraging fifth position at Q2 session.

Vettel secured RedBull’s first ever pole position 0

China / F12009 / Formula 1 / Qualify

Vettel secured RedBull’s first ever pole position

Sebastian Vettel secured Red Bull Racing’s debut pole position in a thrilling qualifying session in Shanghai this afternoon. Completing just one run in Q3, Vettel lapped in a time of 1m36.184s to displace team-mate Mark Webber from top spot, the Australian had clocked a 1m36.466s. Q2 had seen Vettel top the times, but the major surprise in Q3 was Fernando Alonso, who secured second place with a lap of 1m36.381s.

Behind Vettel, Alonso and Webber, the Brawn duo of Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button endured their worst qualifying session of the season in fourth and fifth respectively, on times of 1m36.493s and 1m36.532s. Toyota’s Jarno Trulli was next in 6th (1m36.835s), followed by Williams’ Nico Rosberg (1m37.397s), Kimi Raikkonen (1m38.089s), Lewis Hamilton (1m38.595s) and the ever-impressive Seabstien Buemi (1m39.321s).