Singapore GP 2015

SEPTEMBER 19, 2015

Qualifying Report - Lock out

Raikkonen, Vettel, Ricciardo, Singapore GP 2015
© Active Pictures

 

Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg are locked out of the first two rows of the grid for the Singapore Grand Prix. Sebastian Vettel is on pole, the first for Ferrari since Germany 2012, and Daniel Ricciardo qualified his Red Bull second. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) and Daniil Kvyat (Red Bull) will fill row two. Hamilton and Rosberg will start from row three.

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.

The ambient temperature at the start of the session was 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Centigrade) and the track temperature was 93 degrees Fahrenheit (34 degrees Centigrade). The humidity was 77 percent.

QUALIFYING 1

Bottas and Rossi were the first out in the 18-minute Q1. All the drivers except for the Marussia duo were using Pirelli's soft tire rather than the super soft compound.

Bottas set the time to shoot for ‘ 1:48.094.

5 minutes into the session, everybody but Button was on track. And he soon joined the action.

7 minutes into the session, Vettel topped the times with a 1:46.017. Ricciardo was second, Kvyat third, Raikkonen fourth and Rosberg fifth.

10 minutes into the session, with the first runs done, the order was Vettel, Ricciardo, Raikkonen, Kvyat, Button and Rosberg. Down at the bubble area cutoff, Hamilton was 14th, Grosjean 15th and Sainz 16th.

But now the drivers were out on the track for their second runs, many of them on the super softs. Hamilton went to the top only to be beaten by Kvyat who clocked a 1:45.340. Vettel, Ricciardo, Rosberg and Bottas rounded out the top six.

Down at the other end, Nasr, Ericsson, Maldonado, Stevens and Rossi did not make the cut to Q2.

QUALIFYING 2

Bottas was the first driver on track for the 15-minute Q2.

With 10 minutes remaining in the session, Massa was fastest followed by Bottas. But then Hamilton went to the top only to be beaten by Kvyat.

Now the order was Kvyat, Raikkonen, Ricciardo, Hamilton and Rosberg. Bottas had dropped to 10th and was holding the final transfer spot to Q1 ahead of Perez.

Then Vettel did his lap to take over first place. He did not go out for a second run; neither did Kvyat, Raikkonen or Ricciardo.

In the final moments of the session Sainz tagged the wall.

He did not make it into Q1 along with Hulkenberg, Alonso, Perez and Button.

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

The six drivers eliminated at the end of Q2 were:

QUALIFYING 3

Ricciardo went ahead with a time of 1:44.607, while Hamilton aborted his lap after locking up his brakes. But Vettel countered with a 1:44.305

The order was now: Vettel, Ricciardo, Raikkonen, Kvyat, Rosberg, Bottas, Grosjean, Hamilton and Verstappen.

On the final runs Vettel improved to a 1:43.885 to hang on to the pole. Ricciardo did not go faster but stayed second. Raikkonen, Kvyat, Hamilton, Rosberg, Bottas, Verstappen, Massa and Grosjean rounded out the top 10.