Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix. Another close practice session this morning leaves the battle for pole position wide open. |
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Lewis Hamilton was the favourite after FP2 having been quickest in both sessions on Friday, but Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso were quicker than him in FP3 and Hamilton himself has admitted he is wary of Ferrari's pace |
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Of course, that's all before mentioning Mercedes, which is expected to be really strong here and showed good race pace yesterday. Nico Rosberg would probably be someone we would be talking about after FP3 but he failed to set a time after stopping on his installation lap. |
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@MercedesAMGF1 on Twitter confirms: "An update on this morning... Nico's car had a fuel connector problem which is why he stopped out on track in P3" |
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Another team that could be strong in today's conditions is Lotus. The track temperature is up at 32C thanks to some warm sunshine and should rise during the qualifying session, and the E20 works better in the hotter conditions as evidenced in Bahrain |
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And I guess it would be remiss of me to not mention Pastor Maldonado. As a pole sitter and race winner this year he has previous form, and he was just 0.313s slower than the fastest time in final practice this morning as Williams continued to run its new rear wing |
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So, fancy predicting today's pole winner out of all of that? Feel free to let us know your guesses (or any other opinions) using the link above or via Twitter @ESPNF1 |
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A bit of news that you may not have seen today; Red Bull has had to make more modifications to its car. The FIA were unhappy with some slots that were used for brake cooling as it believed they also had an aerodynamic effect. The team has filled the slots in as a result |
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And a bit more news since FP3 - Raikkonen was under investigation for a late pit entry during the session having bailed out of the chicane, and he has since been fined €2,500 |
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I told you the track temperature would rise (in fact, I think I had an old readout) - it's now up to 42C |
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Some of the predictions on Twitter include Hamilton, Alonso, Vettel, Rosberg, Raikkonen and Schumacher |
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This image pretty much sums up conditions right now:
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Q1 is underway, although nobody is in a rush to head out on track |
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Rosberg is the first man out on track, followed by di Resta and Raikkonen |
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The top 16 cars in FP3 were covered by just one second, so we could see a few big names at risk of missing out on Q3. But does that really surprise you? |
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Kobayashi runs wide at turn one and bounces over the grass |
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Di Resta fastest early on with a 1:16.999 - still comfortably off the pace |
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Hamilton now top on a 1:16.232 |
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Zuba emails in to ask: "What is your read on the comments of Jacques Villeneuve during the week, about the nonchalance of many of the current crew of drivers? It is a pity that JV went to BAR and effectively lost his career. He had everything to make him a mult-yr world champion, and with the right car a very worthy competitor to Schumacher. Schumi would not have won nearly as many races had Villeneuve been in the right car." I think Jenson Button answered it perfectly in the Thursday press conference when he said the comments were part of an overall interview on safety and that there were some valid points over complacency amongst drivers. |
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Perez pushing hard and very nearly hits the wall of champions |
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Alonso goes quickest on a 1:15.121 |
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Vettel's fastest time from this morning, incidentally, was a 1:14.442 |
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Vettel has yet to come out on track. Everyone else is out there right now |
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Half a second between Alonso in 1st and Perez in 9th |
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Hulkenberg goes quickest on a 1:15.106 after setting the fastest final sector. The Force India has looked closer to Sauber and Williams this weekend so far |
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Petrov, the two Marussias and the two HRTs have all been out on supersofts. With Vettel yet to set a time Petrov is just outside the drop zone at present - 0.6s slower than Ricciardo ahead of him though |
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Schumacher goes fastest with a 1:14.892. Webber only 11th with his latest effort - a 1m15.5s |
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Vettel winds it up to start a flying lap with a quieter track. De la Rosa is currrently a second quicker than both Marussia's having got a clear lap in |
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Vettel jumps up to fourth on a 1m15.1s |
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That means the drop zone is currently Petrov, Kovalainen, Vergne, de la Rosa, Glock, Pic and Karthikeyan |
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Vettel pushing on for another timed lap and he's improving. The gap between compounds is somewhere between 0.4 and 0.7s this weekend |
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Vettel goes fastest on a 1:14.743. Fastest final sector from the Red Bull, interestingly |
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Everyone now heading out on supersofts. Grosjean the only man not to so far. Webber hasn't either and he's going quicker |
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Raikkonen is on supersofts and a few tenths down. Webber didn't improve |
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Less than five minutes to go and time to turn our attentions to who could be in trouble. Vergne currently in the drop zone amid the usual suspects |
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Both McLarens out on supersofts |
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Maldonado runs wide at turn one but continues |
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Vettel is going quicker again, and he's still on softs |
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Vettel improves to a 1:14.661 |
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Button with the fastest first sector |
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Vergne's first sector is much better than previously but those ahead of him could improve too |
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Vergne gets a tow from Vettel down the long straight and improves but is still well off. He doesn't get above Petrov |
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The Toro Rosso's definitely look the most in danger. Petrov improves but stays 18th and is still a second slower than Maldonado ahead of him |
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Maldonado gets his lap in to climb to 13th. Ricciardo now in 17th place and Vergne still in 19th |
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Vergne on his final flying lap but he's 0.3s down on his team-mate |
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Kovalainen goes 18th, 0.7s off Ricciardo |
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Vergne has a poor lap and he can't improve. He's been outqualified by both Caterhams |
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It's a good scalp for Caterham. They may be 0.7s slower than Ricciardo in 17th but Kovalainen is just 1.6s off the fastest time of Q1 |
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The fastest time was set by Vettel, and it was on softs. Impressive pace. |
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Replays show Kovalainen clouting the kerbs in the final chicane and just clipping the 'Wall of Champions' with his right rear tyre. May have lost a little bit of time as you suspect he'd have to lift there |
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De la Rosa in 21st place outqualified both Marussias comfortable - by half a second to Glock - and was within 0.8s of Vergne |
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How tight is it? Well, just half a second separated Vettel in 1st and Massa in 15th |
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It's tough to pick a standout performer in that session other than Vettel, who looked very composed getting through to Q2 with the fewest laps and on soft tyres. He just picked his time and went out for one long run when the track was clear |
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The second session has started and Ricciardo is first out on track on supersoft tyres |
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Vettel's best in Q1 was slower than his best lap in FP3. So clearly more time to come when he puts on the supersoft tyre |
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Ricciardo opens up with a 1:15.995. 0.4s slower than his best from Q1 |
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Kobayashi now top on a 1:15.454 |
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Rosberg on a quick lap |
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Rosberg goes fastest on a 1:14.568. Half a second quicker than he managed in Q1 and faster than Vettel went then too |
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Everyone on supersoft tyres |
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Excuse me, Massa and Alonso are actually on the soft tyre |
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Hamilton goes quickest with a 1:14.510 |
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Then Vettel comfortably beats it with a 1:14.187. That Red Bull is looking mightily strong now |
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Button flat spots his front right tyre in to the hairpin with a big lockup. He radios in to ask if there's anything the team can do to stop it happening - it was a problem he had in FP3 as well |
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Hamilton on a quick lap, but he's 0.2s slower than Vettel in sector one |
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Hamilton goes second, 0.184s slower than Vettel |
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The current drop zone is di Resta, Maldonado, Senna, Kobayashi, Perez, Ricciardo and Alonso. Alonso in the pits for some supersofts now |
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Hulkenberg comfortably in the top ten at present in seventh place |
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You'd expect Alonso to get in to the top ten, so it looks like one of the Lotuses could be in trouble in this session |
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Perez and Kobayashi just a couple of tenths shy of the battle for tenth place at the moment |
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Alonso matches Vettel in sector one and is just 0.1s off in sector two |
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Alonso goes second, 0.127s slower than Vettel |
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Ricciardo going for another run on supersoft tyres and he improves to 11th - 0.2s outside the top ten |
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Vettel is in the pits, and you'd expect all of the top six to be safe now |
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Alonso is going for another lap, and everyone from seventh downwards is staying in the pits |
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Di Resta improves to seventh place on a 1:14.639, Massa now outside the top ten |
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Massa's improving though |
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Button in eight place is far from comfortable too |
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Massa only goes tenth and is just 0.035s inside the top ten. He'll need to continue to push on this lap |
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Grosjean rounds the hairpin - he's not improving on his previous best |
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Hulkenberg improves to tenth place and knocks Massa down. Grosjean only 11th |
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Raikkonen goes tenth, 0.014s inside. Here comes Massa... |
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Massa goes eighth, 0.093s inside. Button down to to ninth and Kobayashi is tenth but in the pits |
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Fastest first sector from Maldonado |
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Grosjean just up through sector two |
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Button pits |
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Grosjean goes seventh, Button down to 10th |
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Maldonado was flying through the final chicane and hit the wall of champions with his right rear. That broke the right rear suspension and has stopped anyone else improving |
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Ironically, Maldonado's accident prevented his team-mate from improving too. That's saved Button in 10th place, but out go Kobayashi, Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Ricciardo, Perez, Senna and Maldonado himself |
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It appears Senna wasn't on a lap judging by his team radio. Maldonado looked like he'd get in to the top ten before that mistake though |
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We haven't seen anyone take too much kerb and hit that wall yet. Maldonado was a bit similar to Senna's accident yesterday in that he lost the rear on exit and was trying to catch the car as the rear hit the wall |
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While we were focusing on who dropped out, it was Vettel who was quickest again with a 1:14.187. Hamilton and Alonso were within 0.2s, and Webber and Schumacher another 0.1s further back |
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The top ten shootout is underway. |
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Quickly out on track is Hamilton on supersofts and Button on softs. A mention for di Resta too who made the top ten and is out on track now |
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I'd be surprised if anyone stayed in the pits for this session. It's close enough that the car in tenth could be looking as high as sixth or seventh |
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Of course, as soon as I say that di Resta returns to the pits. Nagendra emails in to praise his Q2 lap though |
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Hamilton first on a flying lap but he's backed off |
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Everyone bar di Resta on track |
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Rosberg on a good lap, but Grosjean with the fastest first sector |
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Rosberg with a 1:14.664. Needs more than that |
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Massa goes quickest on a 1:14.465 |
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Grosjean second on a 1:14.645 |
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Alonso with the fastest first sector, Vettel fastest middle sector |
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Hamilton goes quickest on a 1:14.439 |
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Vettel then beats is by half a second. Some lap that is. |
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Alonso goes second, he's 0.246s off Vettel's time |
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Webber only goes fifth |
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Schumacher is 0.9s slower than Vettel, Button is 1.2s off the pace in ninth and di Resta doesn't appear to be running |
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Vettel the only man in the 1m13s. I said the Red Bull was looking mightily impressive and I'd be surprised to see him beaten on the final runs |
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Button returns to the pits as di Resta and Vettel head out |
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Supersoft tyres for di Resta, maybe he fancies a quick lap here |
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So Button's work is done and he'll start no higher than ninth place |
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Everybody else now on track |
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And everyone is on the supersoft tyre |
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Vettel will be first across the line, Hamilton is following him |
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Vettel with the fastest first sector |
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Hamilton is a tenth off |
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Rosberg also a tenth off, Grosjean two tenths down |
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Di Resta goes up to eighth place with a 1:14.705 |
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Vettel improves to a 1:13.784 |
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Hamilton now second |
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Alonso is quick, very quick |
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Alonso could challenge... |
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Poor final sector for Alonso who stays third |
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Schumacher is 0.3s down in the first sector and backs off |
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So nobody will beat it, Vettel takes pole position |
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Hamilton's middle sector was very quick but he was still 0.3s slower than Vettel. Alonso, however, seemed to be quicker through the first two sectors but couldn't close out the lap |
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So the grid order will be Vettel, Hamilton, Alonso, Webber, Rosberg, Massa, Grosjean, di Resta, Schumacher and Button. Who said it's unpredictable? |
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Hamilton shakes Vettel's hand as they get weighed and smiles. A shake of the head betrays the feeling that he couldn't match the Red Bull today, but he knows he's still in a good position |
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We'd seen it being so close throughout qualifying and then Vettel takes pole by 0.303s. In 2012 terms, that's a huge margin. We all know that counts for nothing tomorrow though, and having heard Hamilton hit the limiter during his qualifying lap you'd have to think his car is geared towards the race |
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Hamilton will be the one flying the flag if we want a seventh different winner from seven races this season, with the rest of the top five all having won previously. Vettel's the man who's in the best place though, and with Alonso just behind this could be an epic three-way battle for the victory. Perhaps even four, five or six-way like Monaco! Who will come out on top? Join us tomorrow to find out. Bye for now. |