According to Formula1.com
Jenson Button (McLaren) showed solid pace during free practice runs, but it was left to familiar face to take pole position at Suzuka. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), will once again start the race, leading the fiels. This time however, the gap with his closest rival was smaller, only nine thousands of a second.
"I feel like I got everything I could from the car," admitted Button. "There was nothing left. I think the whole team feels encouraged because we didn’t come to this race with any significant upgrades, we just got the car working well all weekend."
Behind the two remaining title contenders, is Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), in third. He wasn't able to start his last flying lap as both Mark Webber (Red Bull) and Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) overtook him in wild fashion and delayed him. The Brit wasn't able to improve his position, since he couldn't cross the start-finish line before the checkered flag was dropped.
Webber and Schumacher were also trying beat the clock. Their effort however was vain: Webber didn't improve, and Schumacher failed like Hamilton. They will respectively start 6th and 7th.
"I entered the final corner on my out-lap and, from out of nowhere, Mark shot up the inside of me," commented Hamilton. "Then Michael came past on my outside and went across the grass. I might be starting third, but I know I’m as quick as the two guys in front of me."
In fourth place, is a surprising Felipe Massa (Ferrari), who edged in front of team-mate Fernando Alonso, fifth. Massa recorded a lap in 1min30.804s, beating Alonso's 1min30.866s. This means Massa will have to start alongside Hamilton, with whom he tangled at the previous Singapore Grand Prix.
"Hamilton alongside me on the grid?" wondered Massa. "It makes no difference to me if it’s him or anyone else."
Bruno Senna (Lotus-Renault), Vitaly Petrov (Lotus-Renault) and local hero Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber) rounded out the top 10, but without going out in Q3. They elected to preserve the tires.
Adrian Sutil (11th) and Paul di Resta (12th) took the best spots available in Q2 for Force India. Williams team-mates Rubens Barrichello (13th) and Pastor Maldonado (14th) will also line-up alongside each other. So will Toro Rosso drivers Sébastien Buemi (15th) and Jaime Alguersuari (16th).
Sergio Perez could only manage 17th in the forgotten Sauber. Hydraulic problems hindered his qualifying effort. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) shared his faith, down in 23rd.
"On my first lap out in Q1, the team advised that I had a problem and asked me to come back into the pits," Rosberg told. "We tried to fix it in time for me to complete a lap, however the hydraulic systems are quite complicated and there just wasn't enough time."
Closing the field are Team Lotus' Heikki Kovalainen (18th) and Jarno Trulli (19th), Virgin's Jérome d'Ambrosio (20th) and Timo Glock (21st). The first HRT to be seen is the one of Daniel Ricciardo (22nd). In the sister car, Vitantonio Liuzzi once again suffered an engine failure and will start the race last, in 24th.
Qualifying results – Japan Grand Prix (Suzuka)
From Italiaracing.net
Row 1
Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB7-Renault) - 1'30"466
Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/26-Mercedes) - 1'30"475
Row 2
Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/26-Mercedes) - 1'30"617
Felipe Massa (Ferrari 150) - 1'30"804
Row 3
Fernando Alonso (Ferrari 150) - 1'30"886
Mark Webber (Red Bull RB7-Renault) - 1'31"166
Row 4
Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W02) - no time.
Bruno Senna (Renault R31) - no time
Row 5
Vitaly Petrov (Renault R31) - no time
Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C30-Ferrari) - no time
Row 6
Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM04-Mercedes) - 1'32"463
Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM04-Mercedes) - 1'32"746
Row 7
Rubens Barrichello (Williams FW33-Cosworth) - 1'33"079
Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW33-Cosworth) - 1'33"224
Row 8
Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR6-Ferrari) - 1'33"227
Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso STR6-Ferrari) - 1'33"427
Row 9
Sergio Perez (Sauber C30-Ferrari) - no time
Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus T129-Renault) - 1'35"454
Row 10
Jarno Trulli (Lotus T129-Renault) - 1'35"514
Jerome D'Ambrosio (Virgin VR02-Cosworth) - 1'36"439
Row 11
Timo Glock (Virgin VR02-Cosworth) - 1'36"507.
Daniel Ricciardo (Hispania F111-Cosworth) - 1'37"846
Row 12
Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W02) - no time
Vitantonio Liuzzi (Hispania F111-Cosworth) - no time
Jenson Button (McLaren) showed solid pace during free practice runs, but it was left to familiar face to take pole position at Suzuka. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), will once again start the race, leading the fiels. This time however, the gap with his closest rival was smaller, only nine thousands of a second.
"I feel like I got everything I could from the car," admitted Button. "There was nothing left. I think the whole team feels encouraged because we didn’t come to this race with any significant upgrades, we just got the car working well all weekend."
Behind the two remaining title contenders, is Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), in third. He wasn't able to start his last flying lap as both Mark Webber (Red Bull) and Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) overtook him in wild fashion and delayed him. The Brit wasn't able to improve his position, since he couldn't cross the start-finish line before the checkered flag was dropped.
Webber and Schumacher were also trying beat the clock. Their effort however was vain: Webber didn't improve, and Schumacher failed like Hamilton. They will respectively start 6th and 7th.
"I entered the final corner on my out-lap and, from out of nowhere, Mark shot up the inside of me," commented Hamilton. "Then Michael came past on my outside and went across the grass. I might be starting third, but I know I’m as quick as the two guys in front of me."
In fourth place, is a surprising Felipe Massa (Ferrari), who edged in front of team-mate Fernando Alonso, fifth. Massa recorded a lap in 1min30.804s, beating Alonso's 1min30.866s. This means Massa will have to start alongside Hamilton, with whom he tangled at the previous Singapore Grand Prix.
"Hamilton alongside me on the grid?" wondered Massa. "It makes no difference to me if it’s him or anyone else."
Bruno Senna (Lotus-Renault), Vitaly Petrov (Lotus-Renault) and local hero Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber) rounded out the top 10, but without going out in Q3. They elected to preserve the tires.
Adrian Sutil (11th) and Paul di Resta (12th) took the best spots available in Q2 for Force India. Williams team-mates Rubens Barrichello (13th) and Pastor Maldonado (14th) will also line-up alongside each other. So will Toro Rosso drivers Sébastien Buemi (15th) and Jaime Alguersuari (16th).
Sergio Perez could only manage 17th in the forgotten Sauber. Hydraulic problems hindered his qualifying effort. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) shared his faith, down in 23rd.
"On my first lap out in Q1, the team advised that I had a problem and asked me to come back into the pits," Rosberg told. "We tried to fix it in time for me to complete a lap, however the hydraulic systems are quite complicated and there just wasn't enough time."
Closing the field are Team Lotus' Heikki Kovalainen (18th) and Jarno Trulli (19th), Virgin's Jérome d'Ambrosio (20th) and Timo Glock (21st). The first HRT to be seen is the one of Daniel Ricciardo (22nd). In the sister car, Vitantonio Liuzzi once again suffered an engine failure and will start the race last, in 24th.
Qualifying results – Japan Grand Prix (Suzuka)
From Italiaracing.net
Row 1
Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB7-Renault) - 1'30"466
Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/26-Mercedes) - 1'30"475
Row 2
Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/26-Mercedes) - 1'30"617
Felipe Massa (Ferrari 150) - 1'30"804
Row 3
Fernando Alonso (Ferrari 150) - 1'30"886
Mark Webber (Red Bull RB7-Renault) - 1'31"166
Row 4
Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W02) - no time.
Bruno Senna (Renault R31) - no time
Row 5
Vitaly Petrov (Renault R31) - no time
Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C30-Ferrari) - no time
Row 6
Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM04-Mercedes) - 1'32"463
Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM04-Mercedes) - 1'32"746
Row 7
Rubens Barrichello (Williams FW33-Cosworth) - 1'33"079
Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW33-Cosworth) - 1'33"224
Row 8
Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR6-Ferrari) - 1'33"227
Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso STR6-Ferrari) - 1'33"427
Row 9
Sergio Perez (Sauber C30-Ferrari) - no time
Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus T129-Renault) - 1'35"454
Row 10
Jarno Trulli (Lotus T129-Renault) - 1'35"514
Jerome D'Ambrosio (Virgin VR02-Cosworth) - 1'36"439
Row 11
Timo Glock (Virgin VR02-Cosworth) - 1'36"507.
Daniel Ricciardo (Hispania F111-Cosworth) - 1'37"846
Row 12
Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W02) - no time
Vitantonio Liuzzi (Hispania F111-Cosworth) - no time