The Mercedes of Nico Rosberg will start on pole position for tomorrows Singapore Grand Prix after a spectacular lap that saw him not only beat his rivals, but set the new fastest lap round the circuit.
Going into the qualifying session many were left to wonder if the Mercedes had the pace to see off their challengers in Red Bull and Ferrari. After what has been a disappointing weekend so far for the current constructor’s champions. Rosberg, who beat his team mate Lewis Hamilton by over seven tenths of a second, was able to pull out the lap when it counted to take pole on his 200th Grand Prix weekend. The German’s pole lap was the fastest ever recorded at Singapore, beating the previous lap record set by Sebastian Vettel in the Red Bull in 2013.
“That was one of my top three laps ever,” said a jubilant Rosberg in the press conference.
However, when Rosberg looks across at the 2nd place grid slot tomorrow he won’t see his team mate Hamilton there. Hamilton will start third after yet another mistake on what has been a rather error strewn weekend for the championship leader. Hamilton took to the trach for Qualifying woefully under-prepared after missing out on a large chunk of track time due to a mechanical failure in FP2 before two errors in FP3 meant he failed to complete a hot lap on the ultrasoft tyres. Qualifying didn’t go his way and after two costly errors on his hot lap he had to settle for third.
“It wasn’t really a frustrating session, it just hasn’t really been my weekend so far,” said Hamilton. “Nico did a great job in releasing the full potential of the car.”
His mistake allowed Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo to claim 2nd place for tomorrow alongside Rosberg, critically on a more favoured race tyre. Both of the Red Bulls were able to reach Q3 on supersoft tyres, meaning Ricciardo and Max Verstappen, who qualified 4th for the race, will start on slower but more favoured race tyre. Unlike the Mercedes drivers on the ultrasoft tyre. The other thing that may play into Ricciardo’s hand is the Mercedes rather lacklustre starts this season. The team and their drivers have consistently struggled to get off the line this season in comparison to their rivals. A fact that Ricciardo couldn’t resist pointing out.
“I will try to get into Nico’s ear before the start and put some more pressure on him!” Ricciardo grinned.
Kimi Raikkonen is the highest placed Ferrari in 5th and will be carrying the team’s hopes for a decent result in the race tomorrow following another disappointing session for the team. At this race last year they dominated the session, taking the only non-Mercedes pole of the season and the first non-Mercedes power pole since the hybrid era begun in 2014. This weekend they looked to be close to the Red Bull’s and Mercedes in pace. However they fell back in qualifying, resulting in 5th being the best they could hope for with Raikkonen. Even worse for them Sebastian Vettel will start 22nd and last for the race tomorrow following a suspension failure on his car in Q1 meant he failed to get through.
It was a more positive weekend and qualifying session for the Toro Rosso team. After struggling at the last few Grand Prix with an engine that is down on power, the team proved today that deficit is not as great around the twisting streets of Singapore. Carlos Sainz, and Daniil Kvyat were able to qualify 6th and 7th respectively.
The Force India of Nico Hulkenberg will start 8th tomorrow ahead of both Williams’s drivers in a crucial qualifying for the 4th spot in the constructor’s championship between the two teams. McLaren’s Fernando Alonso lines up 9th in what was a positive session for him. While the Williams of Valtteri Bottas will now start 10th, critically with a free choice of fresh tyres.
Originally Sergio Perez was supposed to start 10th, but the Mexican driver was handed a combined eight place grid penalty for two yellow flag infringements in Q2 involving the Haas of Esteban Gutierrez, and the crashed Haas of Romain Grosjean. Five of Perez’s penalty places were given after the stewards ruled he had neither significantly reduced his speed nor demonstrated he was ready to stop on the approach to Grosjean’s crash scene. While the other three penalty places were given as Perez passed Gutierrez while yellow flags were being waved.
The Haas of Grosjean has suffered a torrid weekend after several crashes in the Free Practice sessions. While the crash at the end of Q2 was the end of his qualifying, prompting the Frenchman to say the VF16 was “one of the worst cars I’ve ever driven.” He will start the race from 14th tomorrow providing he doesn’t pick up any penalties for changing things.
Tomorrow’s race looks like it could throw up a good strategic race, with the Red Bulls starting on the more durable tyres. The team looked close to Mercedes in terms of long run pace in the Free Practice sessions, as did the Ferrari’s. It’s worth noting Red Bull have had a driver on the podium at every Singapore Grand Prix since 2010, while Mercedes have only had one podium here in the same amount of time.Mercedes will also be hoping to break their terrible starts record tomorrow in the run down to the first corner, for fear the Red Bulls could run off into the distance on their more durable tyre. Vettel will be fighting through from the back of the field to try to score points, at a track that is notoriously difficult for overtaking at. And with a 100% chance of a safety car during the race, it’s going to be a long, hot, hard evening for the drivers.
Singapore GP qualifying
Q3
1. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, 1:42.584
2. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull, + 0.531
3. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, + 0.704
4. Max Verstappen, Red Bull, + 0.744
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, + 0.956
6. Carlos Sainz, Toro Rosso, + 1.613
7. Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso, + 1.885
8. Nico Hulkenberg, Force India, + 1.895
9. Fernando Alonso, McLaren, + 1.969
10. Sergio Perez, Force India, + 1.998 (Eight place grid penalty for two yellow flag infringements)
Q2
11. Valtteri Bottas, Williams, 1:44.740
12. Felipe Massa, Williams, 1:44.991
13. Jenson Button, McLaren, 1:45.144
14. Esteban Gutierrez, Haas, 1:45.593
15. Romain Grosjean, Haas, 1:45.723
16. Marcus Ericcson, Sauber, 1:47.827
Q3
17. Kevin Magnussen, Renault, 1:46.825
18. Felipe Nasr, Sauber, 1:46.860
19. Jolyon Palmer, Renault, 1:46.960
20. Pascal Wehrlein, Manor, 1:47.667
21. Esteban Ocon, Manor, 1:48.296
22. Sebastian Vettel, 1:49.116
Feature Image Credit: Mercedes AMG Petronas Press Release
