Bahrain – Qualifying: Rosberg and Mercedes Surprise Everyone

Q1: As in Shanghai, the drivers snub the start of the session, with the sun heating the air to 33°C and the track to 42°C. Thus, it takes three minutes to see Esteban Gutiérrez take to the track, on Hard tires, in his Sauber, which will be dropped five places on the starting grid after his accident at the Chinese Grand Prix. The Mexican sets an initial benchmark time of 1:35.027, immediately beaten by his teammate, Nico Hülkenberg, with a time of 1:34.409. Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso) and then Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) ascend to the top of the timesheet, the German with a time of 1:33.364.

While Romain Grosjean (Lotus) falls just behind the Mercedes driver, Kimi Räikkönen (Lotus) spins his tires at the first corner and will have to make a second attempt. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari), however, does not need a second try to seize the provisional best time with 1:32.878 on Hard tires.

At Red Bull, Mark Webber sets off five minutes before the checkered flag on Medium tires. The Australian has to settle for the seventh provisional time, while Jenson Button, provisionally eighth, complains about his McLaren’s excessive understeer. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), on the same strategy as his teammate, takes the second time, at a reasonable distance from Fernando Alonso. Meanwhile, on Hard tires, Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) settles for the fifth provisional place.

In the elimination zone, Charles Pic (Caterham) is ahead of Jules Bianchi (Marussia) and his teammate, the Dutchman Giedo Van der Garde, who complained of a vibration in his cockpit at the start of the session. Pastor Maldonado (Williams) and Esteban Gutiérrez (Sauber) will also start at the back of the grid, with the Mexican, in last place – taking into account his penalty – just behind Max Chilton (Marussia).

Eliminated in Q1: Maldonado, Gutiérrez, Pic, Bianchi, Van der Garde, and Chilton.

Q2: The second part of the qualifiers begins with a fire quickly controlled in the Marussia garage, with Jules Bianchi’s MR02 covered in extinguisher foam. On the track, Nico Hülkenberg is the first to set off, immediately followed by the Red Bull drivers on Medium tires. The Sauber driver sets the first benchmark time at 1:34.947, a time then beaten consecutively by Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel, with the German clocking in at 1:33.471. However, Paul di Resta (Force India) soon does better with a time of 1:33.335, a time that Kimi Räikkönen does not manage to beat, as the Finn loses significant time in the last sector.

Also on Medium tires, Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) wins by a narrow margin in 1:33.316. Provisionally fourth, Felipe Massa (Ferrari) finds himself in the path of Hülkenberg’s Sauber, likely on a fast lap: the Brazilian could be called to order after the qualifications. At Mercedes, Nico Rosberg makes a big impact with a lap of 1:32.867, while his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, falls short in 4th position, behind Di Resta.

The only driver not to have recorded a timed lap with 3 minutes remaining of the checkered flag, Romain Grosjean (Lotus) immediately climbs to 7th place, pushing Jenson Button (McLaren) out of the Top 10. The Briton is then ahead of Pérez, Hülkenberg, Ricciardo, Bottas, and Vergne. Mark Webber and Kimi Räikkönen, respectively eighth and ninth, are forced to return to the track. Daniel Ricciardo and then Adrian Sutil push the Lotus driver into the red zone, with Romain Grosjean dropping to ninth place. The Frenchman even sees Jenson Button and Kimi Räikkönen pass him by. Coming out too late, the Genevan cannot defend himself and will therefore start in eleventh position, with the choice of tires, at the start of the Grand Prix. Tenth, Jenson Button rejoices while once again, Sergio Pérez will not participate in Q3.

Eliminated in Q2: Grosjean, Pérez, Ricciardo, Hülkenberg, Bottas, and Vergne.

Q3: This time, as soon as the green light is given, the drivers hit the track, with Paul di Resta leading the Mercedes drivers and Fernando Alonso. The Scotsman sets the first benchmark time at 1:33.388. Nico Rosberg does better with a time of 1:32.543. Fernando Alonso, on worn medium tires, slots between the German and his teammate. Adrian Sutil, out for a first attempt on hard tires, however, abandons his qualifying lap and returns to the pits where the other pole position contenders, notably the Red Bull drivers, await the final rush.

Three minutes before the end of the session, Mark Webber leaves the pits on Medium tires for his first and only qualifying stint. Felipe Massa imitates him a few moments later, on Hard tires. Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso and Nico Rosberg also go out on Medium tires to compete for pole position. Kimi Räikkönen and Sebastian Vettel are also on Medium tires. On the line, Mark Webber settles for the fourth fastest time, ahead of Adrian Sutil, Kimi Räikkönen, and Paul di Resta. At the top, Nico Rosberg hammers it home with a time of 1:32.330. Vettel takes second place, a position Alonso won’t contest, stopping his effort after realizing that pole position was out of reach.

Nico Rosberg thus secures his second career pole position, the second consecutive for Mercedes after Lewis Hamilton’s in Shanghai. Sebastian Vettel will start from the front row, just ahead of Fernando Alonso. Sixth fastest, Felipe Massa will actually start from the second row, on hard tires, alongside his teammate Lewis Hamilton (4th) and Mark Webber (5th), dropping respectively 5 and 3 places on the starting grid. Kimi Räikkönen, with the ninth fastest time, will start in eighth position, ahead of Hamilton and Jenson Button.

Results of the 2013 Bahrain Grand Prix Qualifying: