Qualifying Report - The Pecking Order

Here is the top 10 pecking order after the first qualifying session of the season: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), Felipe Massa (Williams), Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari), Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari), Valtteri Bottas (Williams), Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull), Carlos Sainz (Toro Rosso), Romain Grosjean (Lotus) and Pastor Maldonado (Lotus).

Qualifying 1

The ambient temperature at the start of Q1 was 84 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Centigrade) and the track temperature was 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Centigrade.) The humidity was 17 percent.

The line-up for the session 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 “ Kevin Magnussen 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 Roberto Merhi. Sauber “ Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr.

But with Marussia drivers Merhi and Stevens not taking part, there were 18 drivers in qualifying. But the two were still considered to be part of the session, so five drivers would b would be eliminated in Q1 and five in Q2.

Sainz set the first time “ a 1:33.094. He was on the medium compound Pirelli tires. His teammate Verstappen beat that with a 1:32.851. Then Nasr clocked a 1:32.540.

But now the rest of the drivers including the quick guys were on track. Raikkonen posted a 1:30.188 six minutes into the session. Vettel beat that with a 1:29.307.

7 minutes into the session, Sainz spun at Turn 15.

9 minutes into the session, Hamilton went third quickest.

10 minutes into the session, Bottas took over second place on the medium tires.

With 6 minutes remaining in the session, Rosberg went quickest only to be beaten by Hamilton.

Down at the other end, the four slowest were Nasr, Maldonado, Sainz and Kvyat, the latter not having done any laps at all.

With 3 minutes remaining in the session, Kvyat finally got out of the garage. He grabbed the 13th spot.

With 2 minutes remaining in the session, Verstappen leaped up to third.

The top six at the end of Q1 were: Hamilton, Rosberg, Massa, Verstappen, Vettel, Grosjean, Sainz, Bottas, Hulkenberg and Raikkonen.

The five drivers eliminated at the end of Q1 were: Ericsson, Button, Magnussen, Stevens and Merhi.

Qualifying 2

Nobody was in a hurry to go out when the 15-minute Q2 session began, but then Nasr followed by Hulkenberg took to the track.

Nasr, on the soft tires, set a 1:29.614.

With 9 minutes remaining in the session, Bottas turned a 1:28.012. Then Hamilton slammed in a 1:26.894 which was the fastest time of the weekend so far.

With 7 minutes remaining in the session, Ricciardo took fourth place, but he didn't stay there for long. Vettel was soon third behind Hamilton and Rosberg.

With 5 minutes remaining in the session, the six drivers at the bottom were: Verstappen, Kvyat, Nasr, Hulkenberg, Perez and Maldonado.

Hamilton climbed out of his car. There was no need to do a back-up run.

The top six at the end of Q2 were: Hamilton, Rosberg, Vettel, Bottas, Raikkonen, Massa, Grosjean, Sainz, Ricciardo and Maldonado.

The five drivers eliminated at the end of Q2 were: Nasr, Verstappen, Kvyat, Hulkenberg and Perez.

Qualifying 3

The 12-minute Q3 session would finally give an indication of the pecking order below the Mercedes cars.

Bottas was first out. Soon the other nine joined him. Everybody was on the soft compound Pirellis.

Bottas had brake problems which spoiled his lap.

With 7 minutes remaining in the session, Hamilton went quickest in all three sectors and posted a 1:26.419.

Then Rosberg went off and aborted his lap.

So at the end of the first set of runs in Q3, the order was: Hamilton, Vettel, Massa, Raikkonen, Maldonado, Ricciardo, Grosjean, Sainz, Rosberg and Bottas. The latter two had not posted a time.

With less than 3 minutes remaining in the session, they all headed out for one last go.

Ricciardo was the first to set a time with a 1:28.329. Bottas had a wild moment out of the last corner to take fourth. Hamilton improved to a 1:26.327.

Rosberg jumped up to second with a 1:26.921 and Massa took third with a 1:27.718.

Vettel, Raikkonen, Bottas, Ricciardo, Sainz, Grosjean and Maldonado rounded out the top 10.