Hamilton on pole in Singapore

At the start of the qualifying session, the drivers were quick to take to the track. With a lap of the circuit taking almost 110 seconds, the number of laps to complete is therefore reduced, compared to tracks like Monza, and the opportunities to set a fast time are therefore fewer.

Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso) achieves the first reference time, before the ??cadors?? do not enter the track. Heikki Kovalainen then Sebastian Vettel successively take the first beat in 1?48?? before Rubens Barrichello lowered the mark. At the same time, Romain Grosjean fails to enter the top fifteen, due to recurring problems with the brakes.

Sebastian Vettel then Lewis Hamilton further improve the best time then the Briton drives home the point to finish Q1, in 1:46??977. Kimi Räikkönen, in difficulty since the start of the weekend, set the second fastest time. Further on, Romain Grosjean (Renault) is eliminated with the 19th time, just like Adrian Sutil (Force India), Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso), Giancarlo Fisichella (Ferrari) and Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India)

In Q2, Sebastian Vettel gets the ball rolling but it is Rubens Barrichello who sets the first reference time. Mark Webber dispossessed him before Nico Rosberg set the absolute best time of the weekend, in 1:46??197. Far from it, the disillusionment is great for Jenson Button, who only sets the 12th time, and for Kimi Räikkönen, 13th. Kazuki Nakajima (Williams, 11th), Sébastien Buemi (Toro Rosso, 14th) and Jarno Trulli (Toyota, 15th) are also eliminated.

For the last phase of the session, the length of the circuit is even more problematic for drivers who will only have the opportunity to do three or four times. Sebastian Vettel sets the first time, in 1:48:204, with Nico Rosberg P2. Lewis Hamilton comes out of his reserve and ??slams?? a time of 1?48??891. Rubens Barrichello, who will be penalized by five places on the grid due to a gearbox change, is trying the impossible to grab the best possible place. The Brazilian pushed his limits too far and destroyed his left front wheel on the wall, which caused the flag to appear, 26 seconds from the end of the session.

As a result of this neutralization, no driver can improve and Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) inherits pole position in Singapore, his third in four Grands Prix. On this urban circuit, the Briton will be the favorite for victory on Sunday. On the grid, the reigning world champion is ahead of Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull-Renault), who will be able to attempt poor qualifying for the Brawn GP to score big points and make up part of his delay in the general classification. Nico Rosberg (Williams-Toyota) is third, Mark Webber (Red Bull-Renault), Rubens Barrichello (Brawn-Mercedes), Fernando Alonso (Renault), Timo Glock (Toyota), Nick Heidfeld (BMW), Robert Kubica (BMW) and Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren-Mercedes).