Sebastian Vettel on pole in Shanghai

It is under a radiant sun and a temperature of 20°C that the qualifying session begins in Shanghai. It has never been so hot this weekend in China but this rise in temperature corresponds to weather forecasts. The grip is therefore better and some drivers take advantage of it, starting with Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus), who flirts with the limit and spins.

Felipe Massa (Ferrari) set the best time (1:36:997), then followed by his teammate Fernando Alonso (1?36??805). There Team, after a discreet day on Friday, returns to the forefront. Fernando Alonso improves (1) but the drivers McLaren come out of their reserve. Lewis Hamilton completely erases the reference mark, in 1?35??641 while Jenson Button runs in 1?36??600.

Virtually eliminated, Vitaly Petrov (Renault) runs in 1?37??053 and is back among the first seventeen. Pedro de la Rosa (Sauber) also manages to escape from the red zone and sends Tonio Liuzzi (Force India) there. The Italian accompanies the drivers of the three new teams, Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus), Timo Glock and Lucas di Grassi (Virgin), Bruno Senna and Karun Chandhok (HRT).

In Q2, the drivers quickly hit the track in order to set good times straight away. This is the case for Vitaly Petrov (Renault), who runs in 1:36:311. Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso) takes the best time (1?36??137) but Mark Webber (Red Bull) improves by six tenths, in 1?35??413. However, the Australian did not keep this time for very long because Lewis Hamilton went under 95 seconds, in 1:34:928.

Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) signs the second time (1:35??134) before being beaten by Mark Webber (1:35??100). As the countdown nears the end, Adrian Sutil (Force India), Rubens Barrichello (Williams) and Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso) are competing for tenth qualifying place for Q3.

Barrichello enters the top 10 (1) but, immediately, Sutil (35) returns to ninth place, pushing Michael Schumacher (1?35??715) in tenth position. The German is qualified for three hundredths. The ax came close. Vitaly Petrov (Renault) but also Jaime Alguersuari and Sébastien Buemi (Toro Rosso), Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg (Williams), Pedro de la Rosa and Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber) are eliminated.

In Q3, the short duration of the session requires a quick exit. The different drivers adopt the same strategy, two runs separated by a pit stop. Fernando Alonso is the fastest (1:35:065) and, shortly after, Mark Webber (1:35:073) is very close behind, as is Nico Rosberg (1:35:139). But Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) arrives behind and ahead of all these beautiful people (1).

After a final pit stop, the drivers return to the track to hope to secure the coveted pole position. Lewis Hamilton tried but failed (1:35:034) before Mark Webber showed his great desire to finish in first place. He took provisional pole (1) but still had to wait for several drivers to pass. Fernando Alonso is placed just behind him (34) but Sebastian Vettel does not miss the opportunity to take his third pole position of the season (806).

The double is still there for Red Bull, Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber occupying the first two places, ahead of Fernando Alonso, Nico Rosberg, Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, Felipe Massa, Robert Kubica, Michael Schumacher and Adrian Sutil. The usual customers of the first places are present and will compete on Sunday, from 9 a.m., for the fourth Grand Prix of the season.