Japanese GP 2015

SEPTEMBER 26, 2015

Qualifying Report - Pole Accident

Nico Rosberg, Japanese GP 2015
© The Cahier Archive

 

Nico Rosberg won the pole for the Japanese Grand Prix in his Mercedes while Daniil Kvyat had a huge accident in his Red Bull right at the end of the session. Lewis Hamilton qualified second in his Mercedes and Valtteri Bottas will start third in his Williams.

The ambient temperature at the start of the session was 81 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Centigrade) and the track temperature was 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Centigrade). The humidity was 54 percent.

The line-up for the weekend was: Mercedes - Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Red Bull Renault - Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat. Williams Mercedes - Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas. Ferrari - Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen. McLaren Honda - Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button. Force India Mercedes - Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez. Toro Rosso Renault - Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz. Lotus Mercedes - Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado. Marussia Ferrari - Will Stevens and Alexander Rossi. Sauber - Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr.

Qualifying 1

Verstappen was the first out in the 18-minute session. He set the first time as well, a 1:35.415.

4 minutes into the session, Hamilton took the lead with a 1:33.595, and Rosberg went second with a 1:33.961. And Ricciardo was third with a 1:34.935.

7 minutes into the session, Ericsson had a huge spin off at Turn 14 and just missed hitting the tire barriers.

10 minutes into the session, the Ferrari drivers headed out for their first flying laps. The top six were: Hamilton, Rosberg, Bottas, Massa, Ricciardo and Verstappen. Neither Marussia driver had been out yet.

Then Raikkonen took third and Vettel fifth.

With 3 minutes remaining in the session, Alonso was in 15th place and the last driver to make the cut to Q2.

With 2 minutes remaining in the session, Hamilton improved to a 1:32.844.

With under a minute remaining in the session, Verstappen spun and stalled at Turn 11.

The session ended with Button, Ericsson, Nasr, Stevens and Rossi not making the jump to Q2.

The top 10 in Q1 were: Hamilton, Rosberg, Raikkonen, Bottas, Grosjean, Ricciardo, Vettel, Verstappen, Kvyat and Massa.

Qualifying 2

With 12 minutes remaining in the session, Rosberg set a 1:32.632 and Hamilton a 1:32.789.

The Williams drivers were quick again, with Massa taking third and Bottas fourth ahead of Ricciardo and Sainz.

Everybody was on the medium compound Pirellis.

With 7 minutes remaining in the session, the Ferrari drivers were on the move. Raikkonen moved into third and Vettel into sixth.

With 5 minutes remaining in the session, Perez, Grosjean, Maldonado, Verstappen and Alonso were out of the top 10 and out of the running to move on to Q3.

Rosberg, Hamilton, Raikk ‚ ¡nen, Massa, Bottas and Vettel were now the top six.

The top 10 at the end of Q2 were: Rosberg, Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa, Bottas, Vettel, Ricciardo, Perez, Kvyat and Grosjean.

The five drivers eliminated at the end of Q2 were: Hulkenberg, Sainz, Maldonado, Alonso and Verstappen

Qualifying 3

Rosberg was the first out in the 12-minute session. He would be the quick guy with a 1:32.584, and that beat Hamilton's 1:32.660.

Bottas took third ahead of Vettel, Massa, Raikkonen and Ricciardo.

Then it was time for the final runs. But Kvyat had a massive accident - he was okay - and the session was red flagged. Many drivers could not improve their times.

And so the top 10 were: Rosberg, Hamilton, Bottas, Vettel, Massa, Raikkonen, Ricciardo, Grosjean, Perez and Kvyat.