Red Bull locked out the front row once again this season when their man Sebastian Vettel took pole position ahead of his Aussie teammate, Mark Webber. Fernando Alonso finishes third, Massa fourth, Hamilton fifth, Rosberg sixth, Petrov seventh, Kubica eighth, Pedro de la Rosa and Nico Hulkenberg rounding out the top ten.
Track temperature was registering at 41 degrees as Vitaly Petrov became the first man on track for the opening twenty minute qualifying session, the Russian rookie soon followed by the majority of the grid. The two Red Bull drivers are quick to stamp their authority again, just as they have done all weekend and despite the efforts of other drivers, including McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, they stay firmly in place at the top of the leaderboard.
Rubens Barrichello is on a flyer and moves into fifth behind the two Red Bulls and the two Ferrari’s while Button’s first time is only good enough for 13th, Michael Schumacher’s sitting sixteenth and very close to the elimination section.
Robert Kubica moves into P3, splitting the Red Bulls and the Ferrari’s. Nico Rosberg moves up to P4, Button P7, but despite their strong showing here this weekend, it is the Sauber of Kamui Kobayashi that joins the three new teams in elimination.
A small break and the lights go green for the second fifteen minute session and Felipe Massa is straight out, the Ferrari driver followed by Hamilton, Alguersuari and Alonso. Massa sets the first time but Alonso soon beats him, Petrov slots between them, while Webber and Vettel soon position themselves back at the top, Vettel reinforcing a strong time six tenths faster than his teammate.
Just over seven minutes remain and the two Mercedes drivers only just appearing for their first runs. Rosberg goes P8, Schumacher 14th. Another strong run from Kubica sees him fourth, Alonso now third as the clock ticks down.
Vettel out again in the final minutes of the session despite his time being quite safe for the top ten shootout. Webber however moves ahead of him by a fraction of a second as Hamilton sets the fastest time in the first sector, but he stays seventh. Meanwhile, teammate Button is down in eleventh and is eliminated! Barrichello, Sutil Schumacher Buemi, Liuzzi and Alguersuari will join the reigning world champion on the sidelines for the third and final session.
The third and final ten minute session gets underway with Fernando leading the way out of the pits on the super soft rubber, setting the best time ahead of his teammate to kick the session into gear. Rosberg goes third but Hamilton takes the place away on his first run with Hulkenberg, who beat his more experienced teammate into Q3, in fourth.
Vettel and Webber are on flying laps, Webber takes P1 but Vettel crosses the line moments later to snatch the place away by four tenths of a second.
The final push and it looks like it will be another Red Bull front row, but which driver will be on pole? It’s Vettel!
;)
