Singapore – Qualifying: Rosberg lights up, Ricciardo interferes

Vettel, first on the grid in 2015, last on the grid in 2016!

First session of the Singapore evening (9 p.m. local time at the start of the session), the drivers were preparing in calm and concentration and were not rushing onto the track. Only the Mercedes drivers chose to go out from the start along with the Manor drivers. The first time was recorded by Nico Rosberg at 1:45.316, and Hamilton quickly responded with a time of 1:45.167, both on ultra-soft tires.

Ten minutes before the end of the session, Red Bull and Ferrari had not yet sent out their drivers. The Williams and Force India teams seemed to be in the game, with all four drivers holding positions in the top 10. Finally out of the pits, Kimi Räikkönen clocked the fastest provisional time with 1’44″964, while Max Verstappen followed closely at 72 thousandths behind, pushing the Mercedes cars down to third and fourth. Alonso then surprised everyone with his McLaren, sitting in fifth provisionally, with his compatriot Sainz in sixth.

Daniel Ricciardo really kicked off hostilities and recorded a stunning time, seven-tenths faster than Räikkönen at 1’44″255.

But disaster struck at Ferrari. Sebastian Vettel reported an issue with his car and couldn’t record a real reference time, always remaining last. In the slow-motion replay, we could see his inside front wheels lifting through the corners.

#Seb5 team radio: ‘Something’s wrong with the car’ #Quali #SingaporeGP #redseason

— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) 17 septembre 2016

With 18 minutes of the session elapsed, Ricciardo had made a strong impact at the start of the qualifications, and the big players were still in the race to continue to Q2; except, of course, for Vettel. One’s misfortune is another’s fortune: Marcus Ericsson in his Sauber was the last to qualify in this session, as was Daniil Kvyat with a very impressive 7th time. The eliminated drivers were Magnussen, Nasr, Palmer, Wehrlein, Ocon, and Vettel.

PROVISIONAL CLASSIFICATION (#Q1)

RIC on top 💪

VET 😠#SingaporeGP 🇸🇬 #F1NightRace 🌃 pic.twitter.com/nSFxAQkx21

— Formula 1 (@F1) 17 septembre 2016

The tire gamble of Red Bull in Q2

Once again, as soon as the session started, the Mercedes cars leaped out of the pit lane, accompanied by Marcus Ericsson, the last survivor of Q1. Once more, the purple-banded tires were favored for this session. A magnificent first performance by the Mercedes, who were a second faster than the other major players in these trials, with Rosberg clocking a time of 1’43″020, and Hamilton recording a 1’43″471.

After five minutes, times began to drop for the other competitors. Räikkönen recorded the 3rd fastest time, Sainz the 4th, Hülkenberg the 5th. The Red Bulls surprised here with super-soft red-striped tires, Ricciardo recording the 3rd fastest time in 1’43″933; Verstappen the fourth, two tenths behind. At this point, Button, Pérez, Gutierrez, Alonso, Grosjean, and Ericsson were the provisional eliminations.

As the last five minutes of the session arrived, exchanges took place in the pits to return before embarking on a final relay. The circuit was briefly plunged into silence, with all the drivers in the box. With three minutes left, drivers from 6th to 15th place went back out while Ericsson seemed to have finished for the day.

The session ended here with issues for two drivers. Grosjean, once again, veered violently off the track at the ninth corner, crashing into the barriers, while Button suffered a puncture. The Williams cars were collateral victims of the yellow flag caused by Grosjean: Bottas and Massa were unable to set a necessary time to access Q3. The ones eliminated were Bottas, Massa, Button, Gutierrez, Grosjean, and Ericsson.

CHEQUERED FLAG: Session ends with GRO in the barriers#SingaporeGP #Quali pic.twitter.com/Qb7gGHm7a9

— Formula 1 (@F1) 17 septembre 2016

Due to Grosjean’s crash, the race direction delayed Q3 by ten minutes to repair the barriers damaged by the French driver.

PROVISIONAL CLASSIFICATION (#Q2): ROS setting the pace, GRO crashes out #SingaporeGP 🇸🇬 #F1NightRace 🌃 pic.twitter.com/TgVdXjDFTS

— Formula 1 (@F1) 17 septembre 2016

Nico Rosberg untouchable!

At precisely 3:59 p.m., the light illuminated to signify the start of the final session. Ricciardo kicked things off, and everyone was anticipating the famous “boost” on the Renault engine, enhanced for this weekend. Hülkenberg briefly set the fastest time, quickly taken by Alonso, then by Ricciardo, and finally by Rosberg, who achieved a superb 1’42″584.

On the radio, Verstappen remarked about the mediocrity of his lap; to which his engineer responded that his out lap wasn’t remarkable either.

Finally released later than expected, Verstappen did not hesitate to overtake the Mercedes to have the clearest possible track to launch himself.

During the last attempt, Hamilton pushed extremely hard, going wide in several corners and cutting his effort short. With a great performance right at the end, Ricciardo was able to improve his time and secure 2nd place, at Hamilton’s expense. Verstappen also managed to improve but couldn’t dislodge Hamilton’s Mercedes. The lone survivor of the Reds, Räikkönen couldn’t do better than 5th, and another Ferrari engine will be next to him on the grid tomorrow with Sainz’s Toro Rosso. Kvyat finally left the pit lane for a single run, placing him in 7th position, ahead of Hülkenberg, Alonso, and Pérez.

Here is the seventh pole position of the 2016 season for Nico Rosberg, the twenty-ninth of his entire career!

With this performance, he joins his teammate in terms of poles secured this year: a sign of a match becoming balanced in this second part of the calendar?

In any case, Nico Rosberg remains the man of the moment since the return at Spa-Francorchamps (four poles in the last five races). For his 200th start, the German could treat himself to a nice gift: a first personal victory in Singapore and the lead in the drivers’ world championship standings.

Nico Rosberg’s pole position is the 29th of his career – moving him level with Juan Manuel Fangio #SingaporeGP 🇸🇬 pic.twitter.com/YkChSgZwF5

— Formula 1 (@F1) 17 septembre 2016

Just behind, Daniel Ricciardo misses the main objective, but he will nonetheless remain a happy man with an off-strategy. Let’s remember that the Red Bull driver will start with super-soft tires in the race tomorrow, just like Max Verstappen. Fast on Friday during race simulation, will the two drivers create a surprise at the end of the 61 laps?

P2 and a front row start for @danielricciardo! @Max33Verstappen will line up right behind on the grid in P4! 👏 #F1 pic.twitter.com/GksnygIpNG

— Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) 17 septembre 2016

Here is the complete ranking of these Qualifications:

PROVISIONAL CLASSIFICATION (END OF QUALIFYING)#SingaporeGP 🇸🇬 #Quali pic.twitter.com/fthVkDbRRv

— Formula 1 (@F1) 17 septembre 2016

Join us this Sunday around 4 PM for the complete summary of the Singapore Grand Prix! Until then, stay tuned to our site for reactions from the various protagonists!