Red Bull Racing driver Sebastian Vettel has moved a step closer to clinching a third consecutive Formula 1 World Championship by qualifying ahead of his arch rival in the title chase, Fernando Alonso of Ferrari.
The weather was a major talking point during qualifying, with a rain shower just before the start of qualifying and ambient temperatures of 23 degrees centigrade along with 25 degrees of track temperature.
More rain is expected for the race tomorrow, with a 60% chance of precipitation currently forecast, which will put the same accent on tire strategy that played a major part in qualifying today.
Hamilton was quickest in Q1 held on a slightly wet track in Sao Paulo.
No more rain fell during the second session and track temperature climbed to 34 degrees centigrade in bright sunshine, with Alonso going quickest in the early stages. Vettel then set the fastest time of the session using a set of new medium tires.
The final top 10 shoot-out was run just on the medium tires in warm and dry conditions. Hamilton set a 1m12.850 lap on his very first run. He was beaten by Red Bull’s Mark Webber on the second run, but then claimed pole back in the final seconds with a time of 1m12.458: his 26th career pole position, ahead of his teammate Jenson Button.
Williams' Pastor Maldonado will be moved 10 places down rid after incurring a reprimand for missing the weighbridge in the second part of qualifying.
Because the reprimand for the incident was Maldonado's third of the year, he was given a grid demotion on this occasion.
Starting grid, Grand Prix of Brazil
Row 1
Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'12"458 - Q3
Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'12"513 - Q3
Row 2
Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'12"581 - Q3
Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'12"760 - Q3
Row 3
Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1'12"987 - Q3
Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'13"206 - Q3
Row 4
Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 1'13"253 - Q3
Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'13"289 - Q3
Row 5
Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'13"489 - Q3
Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'14"121 - Q2
Row 6
Bruno Senna (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'14"219 - Q2
Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'14"234 - Q2
Row 7
Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'14"334 - Q2
Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'14"380 - Q2
Row 8
Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'14"574 - Q2
Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'13"174 - Q3 **
Row 9
Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'14"619 - Q2
Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'16"967 - Q1
Row 10
Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'17"073 - Q1
Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'17"086 - Q1
Row 11
Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'17"508 - Q1
Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'18"104 - Q1
Row 12
Narain Karthikeyan (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'19"576 - Q1
Pedro De La Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'19"699 - Q1
** 10-place penalty
The weather was a major talking point during qualifying, with a rain shower just before the start of qualifying and ambient temperatures of 23 degrees centigrade along with 25 degrees of track temperature.
 |
| Webber, Hamilton and Button. (Photo: WRI2) |
More rain is expected for the race tomorrow, with a 60% chance of precipitation currently forecast, which will put the same accent on tire strategy that played a major part in qualifying today.
Hamilton was quickest in Q1 held on a slightly wet track in Sao Paulo.
No more rain fell during the second session and track temperature climbed to 34 degrees centigrade in bright sunshine, with Alonso going quickest in the early stages. Vettel then set the fastest time of the session using a set of new medium tires.
 |
| Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull (Photo: WRI2) |
The final top 10 shoot-out was run just on the medium tires in warm and dry conditions. Hamilton set a 1m12.850 lap on his very first run. He was beaten by Red Bull’s Mark Webber on the second run, but then claimed pole back in the final seconds with a time of 1m12.458: his 26th career pole position, ahead of his teammate Jenson Button.
Williams' Pastor Maldonado will be moved 10 places down rid after incurring a reprimand for missing the weighbridge in the second part of qualifying.
Because the reprimand for the incident was Maldonado's third of the year, he was given a grid demotion on this occasion.
Starting grid, Grand Prix of Brazil
Row 1
Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'12"458 - Q3
Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'12"513 - Q3
Row 2
Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'12"581 - Q3
Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'12"760 - Q3
Row 3
Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1'12"987 - Q3
Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'13"206 - Q3
Row 4
Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 1'13"253 - Q3
Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'13"289 - Q3
Row 5
Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'13"489 - Q3
Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'14"121 - Q2
Row 6
Bruno Senna (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'14"219 - Q2
Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'14"234 - Q2
Row 7
Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'14"334 - Q2
Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'14"380 - Q2
Row 8
Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'14"574 - Q2
Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'13"174 - Q3 **
Row 9
Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'14"619 - Q2
Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'16"967 - Q1
Row 10
Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'17"073 - Q1
Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'17"086 - Q1
Row 11
Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'17"508 - Q1
Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'18"104 - Q1
Row 12
Narain Karthikeyan (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'19"576 - Q1
Pedro De La Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'19"699 - Q1
** 10-place penalty