Formula 1 rolls into Valencia this week. I have the Formula 1 game on the Wii, and this is a very fun track to drive, but watching a race here has the high possibility of being boring. It is a narrow, bendy track, but it does not flow like Montreal does.
Today we'll review the qualifying sessions.
24 - Bruno Senna (HRT)
23 - Chandhok (HRT)
22 - Glock (Virgin)
21 - Lucas Di Grassi (Virgin)
20 - Kovalainen (Lotus)
19 - Trulli (Lotus)
18 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber)
Q2
In Q2, several cars hit the track as the session began. Fernando Alonso quickly found his way around a Scuderia Toro Rosso car. At the 9:15-remaining mark of Q2, Sebastian Vettel threw in a 1:38:015, the fastest time of qualifying so far.
Kubica, at 8:17, went to P3 for the session. He is currently the focal point of rumors that have Mercedes Grand Prix offering him a 3-year deal starting next season, to replace living legend Michael Schumacher.
With six minutes to go, Jenson Button was fastest through the speed trap, at 312.9 km/h.
Vitaly Petrov, with less than five minutes to go, is still in the top ten. Say what you will, the Russian rookie has been quite impressive this season. As an aside, Petrov lives in Valencia.
17 - Alguesuari (STR)
16 - De La Rosa (Sauber)
15 - Schumacher (Mercedes)
14 - Liuzzi (Force India)
13 - Sutil (Force India)
12 - Rosberg (Mercedes)
11 - Buemi (STR)
The drivers knocked out in Q2 are bracketed by the Scuderia Toro Rosso team. Interestingly, both Merc cars are out, with Schumacher right where he was when we left Montreal, staring up at the Force Indias.
Q3
Ten drivers remain, with Vettel and Webber fastest out of Q2. But now, we have a ten car shootout for pole position. Four cars hit the track almost immediately at the start of Q3.
To give you an idea of how large this track is, we're three minutes into the session and Alonso is only halfway through his first lap (not counting the recon lap).
Four minutes into the session, Lewis Hamilton landed the first 1:37 lap time. Webber immediately went faster.
The McLarens and Red Bulls have dominated the front row all year, and it looks like that will continue. Watching these teams play strategy against each other is really quite awesome. It goes to show you just how much difference there is in .035 seconds.
A lot of the drivers in qualifying are running the Bridgestone super-soft tyres.
10 - Petrov (Renault)
9 - Barrichello (Williams)
8 - Hulkenberg (Williams)
7 - Button (McLaren)
6 - Kubica (Renault)
5 - Massa (Ferrari)
4 - Alonso (Ferrari)
3 - Hamilton (McLaren)
2 - Webber (Red Bull)
1 - Vettel (Red Bull)
Sebastian Vettel returns to pole for the first time in five races. Lewis Hamilton's last lap in Q3 was aborted after a brief slip caused him to lose momentum.
Barrichello and Hulkenberg, both Williams drivers, put in even times, but Hulkenberg was granted position by virtue of putting in his time first.
As the drivers pulled into the pits and the top three qualifiers went to the press room, it was awkward that Webber would not even acknowledge Vettel. Obviously there is still some animosity from the Turkish Grand Prix.
CONTROVERSY BREWING
Red Bull is crying foul, saying that Ferrari circumvented the in-season testing ban by having Fernando Alson turn several laps in the F10 at the Fiorano circuit. Ferrari, though, says the event was a media day, and that no test data was recovered.
PREDICTIONS
Valencia is a circuit that rewards patience, something that Lewis Hamilton doesn't often have. But Lewis also claims to have "unfinished business" at the street circuit.
So, the predicted podium is this:
3. Fernando Alonso
2. Mark Webber
1. Lewis Hamilton
No comments:
Post a Comment