Pages

Search This Blog

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Qualifying at the Marina Bay Street Circuit


Marina Bay Street Circuit, possibly the most beautiful setting for a Formula One race. The lights on the track reflect at just the right angles off the cars and driver helmets. It seems to also be the FIA photographers favourite race as well as there are always amazing shots found on the respective websites after each session.

Before qualifying even started at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, it was seen that Singapore was going to prove once again to be a tricky course. During the free practices, many of the drivers had swiped the walls of this night race circuit. It is only presumable that the race will hold the same results.

Q1 and the circuit was looking to be a tricky one. The driving it's self may not be that difficult to the drivers but to the teams, their strategies looked as if they would be made lap by lap. Beginning of Q1 the times set were much slower than the end. The track seemed to have a life of it's own as it flung the car and drivers around quicker with each lap. By the end of Q1, it was an all out race on the super soft tyres as the drivers were all vying for a spot in Q2.

Q2 and the track seemed to level out. Allowing drivers to achieve their top speeds and finally get down to running a perfect lap. The drivers appeared to have mastered most of the corners and it seemed as though the race may run smoother (compared to what was happening during free practice). The drivers were giving enough room to the walls and the cars had the leeway 'just in case'.

Disappointments all around as a few big names did not make it though to the Top Ten Shoot Out. Kimi Räikkönen, Sergio Perez and Felipe Massa all got knocked out in Q2.

Q3 and it always seems like a disappointment for the first half. Fans travel to the circuit from miles away and during one of the most exciting parts of the weekend, the track is next to silent. The Top Ten shoot out is the most nerve racking minutes (next to race start) of the Grand Prix and it's usually only during the last few minutes that there is any action. With just over two minutes left of Q3, the drivers and cars took to the track.

With 20 seconds left on the clock, only four drivers had set a time yet and there were only 8 drivers were out on track (the two Mercedes had remained in their pit). All other drivers were out on track fighting for pole. The Marina Bay Street Circuit is proven as a track that does not give much room for passing and the grid show just that.

For a track that seemed to have gotten faster with each pass, Q3 did not give the speed to the drivers and it looks as though the starting grid for the race on Sunday is completely mixed up.

vmm Lewis Hamilton P1  gstar Fan's Choice To Win
Will Pastor Maldonado P2 
rbr Sebastian Vettel P3  
Ferrari Jenson Button P4
Ferrari Fernando Alonso P5    
Force Paul di Resta P6
rbr Mark Webber P7
LRGP Romain Grosjean P8
MCP Michael Schumacher P9
MCP Nico Rosberg P10
Force Nico Hulkenberg P11
LRGP Kimi Räikkönen P12
Ferrari Felipe Massa P13
rosso Sergio Perez P14
rosso Daniel Ricciardo P15
rosso Jean-Éric Vergne P16
Will Bruno Senna P17
sauber Kamui Kobayashi P18
lotus Vitaly Petrov P19
lotus Heikki Kovalainen P20
MVR Timo Glock P21
MVR Charles Pic P22
HRT Narain Karthikeyan P23
HRT Pedro de la Rosa P24

Q1 107% Time 1:55.226

Note - De la Rosa drops five grid spots for an unscheduled gearbox change.

No comments:

Post a Comment