Q2 - Despite the on-circuit conditions, the FIA deemed it safe enough for the DRS to be used but due to regulations, the driver aid can only be used in the two DRS zones.
There were no big incidents like yesterday, Valtteri Bottas and Jean-Eric Vergne both going off track but the biggest moment came from Kimi Raikkonen who hit oversteer in the penultimate corner during a fast lap.
McLaren decided to be the first team to try the option supersoft tyre, Sergio Perez embarked into unknown territory and soon regretted it after he found that the conditions were too harsh for the option. Jenson Button soon realised this and before the curtain came down on Q2 he came back on the intermediate tyre to set a quick lap in order to enter Q3. To be quite honest, it was an absolutely hopeless move. Teams around McLaren were putting on fresh inters, yet they decided to try the least grippy tyre for a track that was still changing. Madness.
In the end though, Nico Rosberg was fastest again.
OUT: HULKENBERG, SUTIL, VERGNE, RICCIARDO, PEREZ, BOTTAS
Really disappointing for Checo to go out on such a silly call, really doesn't instill a lot of confidence in your young driver if risks like that are going to be taken. Martin Whitmarsh was quoted as saying the team will "only be looking to score points" at this part of the season. Surely then the best thing to do would have been to get them in to Q3. Although Perez has managed to salvage podiums from these positions, different car, different pressure.
Q3 - No drivers were in any hurry to leave the comfort of their garages early, inters were the preferred choice when they did but it wasn't before long that the option supersofts became the fastest tyre.
In the end as the session finally came to a close, my predicted Red Bull front row lockout came to fruition as Sebastian Vettel set the fastest lap with a 1m.27:407s, 0.4s quicker than his team mate Mark Webber. The closest challenger to the already dominant Bulls was Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton who was 0.6s off the pace. Rosberg who was quickest in the earlier sessions only managed 6th, a disappointing position considering his earlier pace.
The biggest down point of the morning was Button who was nearly 3s off Vettel's time down in 10th. After the session, he was quoted with saying "I'm surprised we're in Q3." Not good enough Jenson, McLaren as usual hitting out with an epic fail.
Grid:
1. Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull
2. Mark Webber - Red Bull
3. Lewis Hamilton - Mercedes
4. Felipe Massa - Ferrari
5. Fernando Alonso - Ferrari
6. Nico Rosberg - Mercedes
7. Kimi Raikkonen - Lotus
8. Romain Grosjean - Lotus
9. Paul di Resta - Force India
10. Jenson Button - McLaren
11: Nico Hulkenberg - Sauber
12: Adrian Sutil - Force India
13: Jean-Eric Vergne - Toro Rosso
14: Daniel Ricciardo - Toro Rosso
15: Sergio Perez - McLaren
16: Valtteri Bottas - Williams
17: Pastor Maldonado - Williams
18: Esteban Gutierrez - Sauber
19: Jules Bianchi - Marussia
20: Max Chilton - Marussia
21: Giedo van der Garde - Caterham
22: Charles Pic - Caterham
My Thoughts - Honestly, it's the nightmare start I was dreading. The fact of the matter is, Vettel was able to slip and slide everywhere on the lap before his fastest, and still went 0.9s quicker at the time. If this keeps up by China I have to say the interest in Formula 1 will just deteriorate.
Felipe Massa out-qualifying Fernando again is a great sign for his form, no immediate questions over the formers future early on will be a big change to debates around the paddock. Kimi Raikkonen is in a far better position that this time last year but just like every piece of machinery that wasn't designed by Adrian Newey, his Lotus team was miles off the pace.
For the race later on, expect the Bulls to tear away, Vettel-Webber 1-2 is guaranteed. The race will be for third, just like the whole season. Naive people will say "it's early days yet" but if anyone really knows the sport, you'll understand my negativity. As I've said before if it's the same story by China, well I can't see there being anything even close to 2012.
The teams should start thinking about 2014 right away, voices at Ferrari have stated they aren't even discussing it but after this result, there will be notes jotted down.
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