Singapore GP 2018

SEPTEMBER 15, 2018

Qualifying Report - Epic

Lewis Hamilton, Singapore GP 2018
© RV Press

By Dan Knutson

"That was an epic lap, Lewis." Lewis Hamilton's engineer radioed as the driver slammed in a time of 1:36.015 early in the final qualifying session for the Singapore Grand Prix. So epic, in fact, that nobody could top it, and therefore Hamilton will start the race from pole position.

The line-up for the weekend was: Mercedes - Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas; Ferrari - Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen; Red Bull TAG Heuer - Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen; Racing Point Force India Mercedes - Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon; Williams Mercedes -Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin; Renault - Nico Hulkenberg and Carlos Sainz; Toro Rosso Honda - Brendon Hartley and Pierre Gasly; Haas Ferrari - Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen; McLaren Renault - Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne; Sauber Ferrari - Marcus Ericsson and Charles Leclerc.

Vettel had been quickest in FP3 earlier in the day as he used the hyper soft tires to clock a lap in 1:38.054.

QUALIFYING 1

The ambient temperature at the start of qualifying was 84 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Centigrade) and the track temperature was 91 degrees Fahrenheit (33 degrees Centigrade).

Raikkonen set the early pace with a lap in 1:38.534. But halfway through the session Ricciardo beat that with a time of 1:38.153 - a qualifying lap record - while Vettel moved into second place.

At that midpoint Vandoorne was the bubble man in 15th, but Bottas had yet to set a time. When Bottas did get on the board, in seventh, Gasly was now on the bubble with Hulkenberg 14th and Vandoorne 16th.

Hamilton was safe but still a rather distant tenth. He would end up a still safe but rather scary 14th so made it through to Q2.

At the end of the opening session, the five drivers who were eliminated were: Magnussen, Hartley, Vandoorne, Sirotkin and Stroll.

The fastest 15 drivers who moved on to Q2 were: Ricciardo, Vettel, Raikkonen, Grosjean, Verstappen, Perez, Ocon, Hulkenberg, Alonso, Sainz, Leclerc, Bottas, Ericsson, Hamilton and Gasly.

QUALIFYING 2

Nobody was in a hurry to head out in Q2 as the track would continue to evolve and get faster.

When Raikkonen and Vettel did venture forth, they were on the ultra soft Pirelli tire rather than the faster hyper soft. The Mercedes drivers had the hyper soft tires on their cars.

The top 10 in Q2 must start the race in the set of tires used to set their fastest lap times in that session.

Hamilton clocked a 1:37.344. Verstappen beat that with his effort of 1:37.214. So Hamilton was now second ahead of Ricciardo and Perez.

The Ferrari drivers found the ultras to be too slow and pitted for the hypers. Vettel was tenth and Raikkonen 15th with less than five minutes to go.

The Red Bull drivers did not do a second run.

Raikkonen's second attempt moved him up to first as he clocked a 1:37.194. Vettel had traffic as he moved up to fifth.

The five drivers who were eliminated at the end of Q2 were: Alonso, Sainz, Leclerc, Ericsson and Gasly.

The fastest 10 drivers who moved on to Q3 were: Raikkonen, Verstappen, Bottas Hamilton, Ricciardo, Vettel, Perez, Grosjean, Hulkenberg and Ocon.

QUALIFYING 3

Q3 lasted 12 minutes. Only Grosjean did not go out immediately for an initial run.

Raikkonen got in first with a time of 1:37.403, but Hamilton slammed in a 1:36.015. Verstappen was second, 0.319 of a second slower, and Vettel third, 0.613 of a second down.

Everybody was on the hyper soft tires.

So the runs done, the order was Hamilton, Verstappen, Vettel, Borras, Raikkonen, Ricciardo, Grosjean, Ocon and Perez.

Vettel was the first out for the final runs. Soon all 10 drivers were on track. But nobody could beat Hamilton who kept the pole with his epic lap.

So the qualifying order was: Hamilton, Verstappen, Vettel, Bottas, Raikkonen, Ricciardo, Perez, Grosjean, Ocon and Hulkenberg.