| Row 1 | 1. Nico Rosberg 1’24.681 Mercedes | |
| 2. Lewis Hamilton 1’24.948 Mercedes | ||
| Row 2 | 3. Sebastian Vettel 1’25.458 Ferrari | |
| 4. Valtteri Bottas 1’25.694 Williams | ||
| Row 3 | 5. Carlos Sainz Jnr 1’26.136 Toro Rosso | |
| 6. Max Verstappen 1’26.249 Toro Rosso | ||
| Row 4 | 7. Kimi Raikkonen 1’26.414 Ferrari | |
| 8. Daniil Kvyat 1’26.629 Red Bull | ||
| Row 5 | 9. Felipe Massa 1’26.757 Williams | |
| 10. Daniel Ricciardo 1’26.770 Red Bull | ||
| Row 6 | 11. Romain Grosjean 1’27.375 Lotus | |
| 12. Pastor Maldonado 1’27.450 Lotus | ||
| Row 7 | 13. Fernando Alonso 1’27.760 McLaren | |
| 14. Jenson Button 1’27.854 McLaren | ||
| Row 8 | 15. Felipe Nasr 1’28.005 Sauber | |
| 16. Marcus Ericsson 1’28.112 Sauber | ||
| Row 9 | 17. Nico Hulkenberg 1’28.365 Force India | |
| 18. Sergio Perez 1’28.442 Force India | ||
| Row 10 | 19. Will Stevens 1’31.200 Manor | |
| 20. Roberto Merhi 1’32.038 Manor |
Bleu (@bleu)
9th May 2015, 14:02
After Q2 it was noticeable that all team-mates were next to each other. Didn’t continue to Q3 though with Räikkönen and Massa underperforming (and the latter causing split among Red Bulls too)
Kingshark (@kingshark)
9th May 2015, 14:02
Last year, Hamilton took pole in 4 out of the first 5 races, yet Rosberg went on to win the pole position trophy easily. I’ll call it now: the same will happen this year.
Let’s see how this prediction turns out in November.
Kgn11
9th May 2015, 14:09
Well if it pans out the same as last year, I think Lewis would be nightly pleased with that result.
spoutnik (@spoutnik)
9th May 2015, 20:03
It depends this year of the Ferrari threat, Rosberg could have some incentive in having a more quali setup again this year and leavve Hamilton with the Ferraris in the first laps. That’s what I would try.
Polo (@polo)
9th May 2015, 15:08
I think the qualifying head-to-head last year really deceived just how close the two Mercedes drivers were in pure pace last year. In the 57 track sectors, Hamilton’s best time was quicker in 29 and Rosberg’s was quicker in 28, with a mean advantage of 0.011 seconds to Hamilton.
Although it technically ended up 12-7 to Nico, you have to remember that Hamilton had two failures in Q1 in Germany and Hungary. In Germany Hamilton looked fractionally faster in practice, and in Hungary Hamilton was pretty much dominating, being fastest in all practice sessions (he has 4 wins there). So without those Q1 failures Hamilton had a very good chance to take pole at both those two tracks meaning it would have been much closer, though still 10-9 to Nico.
You also have Monaco, Austria and Britain where we didn’t really get to see a conventional fight for pole. In Monaco Hamilton was only 0.059s behind on the first runs, and on his second flying lap he was 0.2s up on Rosberg before he had to back off with the yellow flags.
In Austria Hamilton was 0.4s up on the eventual pole time before running wide at the last corner and getting his lap time deleted, then spinning at turn 2 on the following lap, which ironically compromised Rosberg with the ensuing yellow flags (Rosberg definitely did a far better job here, but we didn’t really get to see who had the best pace).
At Britain Hamilton was 0.2s ahead of Rosberg on the first Q3 runs (on the second runs, sector 1 & 2 were even wetter and therefore about a second slower, causing Hamilton to back out halfway through as he was over a second down on his previous time, but all the other cars on a lap found around 4 seconds in sector 3 alone to relegate Hamilton to 6th).
Rosberg definitely did a better job in qualifying last year as he made far fewer mistakes than Hamilton in Q3, but with some slightly different circumstances it would have been a lot closer.
Patrick (@paeschli)
9th May 2015, 19:27
Interesting … but my money is still on Lewis this year for the pole trophy.
I hope it will be close though, last years’ qualifyings were pretty fun to watch.
HK (@me4me)
9th May 2015, 14:07
Amazing job by Toro Rosso and their drivers!
Polo (@polo)
9th May 2015, 14:12
Throughout practice I noticed that Rosberg looked closer to Hamilton this weekend. At previous weekends Hamilton consistently had at least 2 tenths or more on Rosberg whenever they got clean laps in, but this weekend Rosberg looked capable of taking pole for the first time I’ve seen this year. After practice I actually felt like Rosberg would be on pole. Interesting to see if he can maintain this form as the season carries on.
aery
9th May 2015, 16:18
More like: Hamilton looked close to Rosberg this weekend.
Corey
9th May 2015, 16:13
Did Ferrari, Williams and Red Bull not get the memo that teammates were supposed to start next to each other?
paulguitar (@paulguitar)
9th May 2015, 16:41
What’s happened to this ‘0.6 second’ that Alonso brings then?
Patrick (@paeschli)
9th May 2015, 19:28
Yeah, if Alonso is really THAT good, why isn’t he wiping the floor with Button?
Neiana (@neiana)
9th May 2015, 19:51
@paulguitar @paeschli
Because Button beat Hamilton in points during their time as teammates and he won the 2009 drivers championship, too! ;)
paulguitar (@paulguitar)
9th May 2015, 19:59
@neiana
Ah, always fun to hear that one…..;)
sonia luff (@sonia54)
9th May 2015, 20:50
Why because it’s true lol you Lulu fans just can’t take it can you . Stats and records are there no matter how much fans like/dislike them.
Patrick (@paeschli)
10th May 2015, 7:08
@sonia54
Taking about stats, why is Ricciardo paid more than Button then?
12M for a driver who won 3 races is quite a lot if you ask me.
JohnnyFive
10th May 2015, 7:52
@paeschli
Because Red Bull are more desperate, perhaps?
paulguitar (@paulguitar)
10th May 2015, 14:13
@sonia54
Unless something has been changed, the WDC is counted each year, therefore Lewis bear Jenson 2:1.
Ron (@rcorporon)
9th May 2015, 19:39
Good job STR!
rory allen
14th May 2016, 13:03
I have a proposal common to all teams regarding grid position and other penalities which result from engine or
car structural failures not caused by collisions or contact, like flimsy fairings flooring and other components becoming
detached. Such instances which attract penalties must be applied only to the constructor, not the driver, who should
not be penalised at all for mechanical/structural failure.
Further, doubtful instructions from the pit designed to direct driving tactics given in delicate situations to either of
two to apparently favour the performance of one over the other should be disallowed as when Hamilton, rapidly
gaining on Rosberg close to the finish , was frustrated by a puzzling warning to Hamilton to slow down and back off his bid to overtake Rosberg into first position by claiming a water coolant temperature problem. If that info is not
available to the driver visually , why not ?
And does not the Mercedes not have a engine coolant temperature guage visible to the driver ?
In view of an obvious bias favouring Rosberg rather than Hamilton in every Grand Prix, dare we hope that in at
least some of the remaining GPs, similar strategems will not produce other dubious outcomes .
Lewis ! About time for you to WIN this time out !!!
Rory Allen -South Africa ..