Singapore GP: Front row start for Maldonado

With the final practice session being red flagged it did not give a real indication of drivers pace for qualifying. In particular Williams F1 driver Pastor Maldonado would finish in sixteenth after not been able to complete a timed lap on the super soft tyre. Whereas team-mate Bruno Senna would finish in eighth having been able to run on the option tyre. Now it was down to qualifying and the first twenty minute period would get underway with De la Rosa facing a five grid place penalty for a gearbox change. The session would see the drivers having the choice of the soft and super soft tyre. The option tyre was expected to be over a second faster. Raikkonen would be first out followed by Grosjean. Both Pastor and Bruno would come out early joined by both Sauber's, Ferrari's. Mercedes, and Torro Ross cars.

The soft tyre was the tyre of choice early in the period. Both Marussia cars were out on the track as more drivers started their timed laps. We yet to have either Red Bull or McLaren cars come out as Perez set a 1m:52.725 but his time would be passed with Pastor going fastest with a 1m:49.976 with Grosjean second from Ricciardo and Kobayashi. But Alonso would go quickest with a 1m:49.511. Di Resta was now third with Raikkonen now fourth. Only four cars remained in the pits with several drivers missing the chicane. Bruno was down in thirteenth with a 1m:55.788, a slow time. Hulkenberg was now second, 1m:49.636, with Pastor now third. Schumacher would move into fourth, 1m:49.994. Pastor was also on a quicker lap going fastest in sector two. He would go fastest with a 1m:49.494. Only Vettel was still in the pits as Raikkonen pitted. Rosberg would take this spot with a 1m:49.463 but Alonso also improved to again be fastest, 1m:49.391.

Bruno would also improve to now be fifth, 1m:49.809, with both Hamilton and Schumacher making mistakes at the chicane. Drivers would start to pit after their first runs including both Williams cars. Hamilton was on a quick lap as Massa went fifth. Button would complain of front locking as Hamilton set a 1m:48.285 to be fastest. Schumacher was fifth but this would become sixth as Button moved into second, 1m:49.381. Webber would pop into second with a 1m:48.836 but team-mate Vettel would take second with a 1m:48.287. Pastor was now seventh and Bruno eleventh. Raikkonen was back out on the super soft tyre currently in thirteenth. Hamilton would pit as Bruno came back out also on the super soft tyre. Di Resta was also out on the option tyre as Raikkonen set a 1m:48.169 to be fastest but only a tenth up on Hamilton who was on the soft tyre. Also making good use of his option tyre Di Resta would go fastest with a 1m:48.028. Grosjean would take this spot with a 1m:47.688.

Pastor was also back out as Perez moved up to seventh, 1m:49.055. Vettel and Webber continued to run on the soft tyre. Vettel would pit as Bruno started his second lap on the option tyre having put in a slow lap. Pastor would pit currently in eleventh as the period ended. Bruno was on a better lap currently in seventeenth. But he would hit the right rear wheel against the barrier. Bruno would pit while at the front Ricciardo had moved up to seventh, 1m:49.023. Those not making the cut were Kobayashi, Petrov, Kovalainen, Glock, Pic, Karthikeyan, and De la Rosa. The top ten was Grosjean from Di Resta, Raikkonen, Vettel, Hamilton, Webber, Ricciardo, Perez, Button, and Alonso. Pastor would finish in twelfth.

Bruno had made it into the second period but was there a problem with his car after making contact with the wall. The second period would commence with Raikkonen first out running on the super soft tyres. He would be followed by Grosjean, Perez, and Alonso. Di Resta was next out with more drivers following. Both Williams drivers would come out as Raikkonen started his timed lap. There was an incident between Webber and Glock been investigated with all seventeen drivers on the track. Bruno was on the option tyre as Raikkonen set a 1m:48.261. Grosjean would make contact with the wall as Alonso went fastest with a 1m:48.058. Massa was now third as Grosjean pitted to have his car checked. Perez was now sixth as Rosberg went third followed by Massa. Webber was now second, 1m:48.226, while team-mate Vettel would go fastest with a 1m:46.791.

But Hamilton would go fastest with a 1m:46.665 from Vettel with Button now third, 1m:47.661. Alonso had pitted as Bruno got out of his car his qualifying over. Pastor was down in eighth with a time of 1m:48.721. Hamilton was leading the field with a 1m:46.665, with Vettel second, Button third, Alonso fourth, Webber fifth and Raikkonen sixth. Raikkonen would come back out with a just under five minutes remaining. Grosjean and Di Resat were also back out. We also had Hulkenberg, Webber, Rosberg, Ricciardo, and Vergne out on the track. We had yet to see the top three come out with several drivers running on used super soft tyres. Grosjean was up in third, 1m:47.529. Pastor was again out on the super soft tyre as Di Resta moved up to fifth, 1m:47.667. Alonso was sixth from Webber, Raikkonen, and Rosberg. Hulkenberg would finish his lap to be sixth just behind his team-mate.

Webber was now third, 1m:47.513, while Rosberg went seventh. The period would end with Pastor just been able to move up to fifth on his last lap with a 1m:47.602. pastor would be passed by Alonso with a time of 1m:47.567. Schumacher would improve to be ninth just ahead of Rosberg. This would see Hulkenberg drop to eleventh. Joining Hulkenberg would be Raikkonen, Massa, Perez, Ricciardo, Vergne, and Bruno. The top ten would be Hamilton followed by Vettel, Webber, Grosjean, Alonso, Pastor, Button, Di Resta, Schumacher and Rosberg.

A good effort from Pastor to make it into Q3 but again it was a frustrating time for the Williams team in regard to Bruno. With the start of the final period both Mercedes cars would come out on the soft tyre maybe looking to set their cars up to start the race on the harder tyre. Alonso and Grosjean were still in the pits. The other drivers were on the super soft tyre some on new others on scrubbed. Di Resta would pit as Button completed his lap to set a 1m:47.238 to be passed by Hamilton with a 1m:46.362, using new tyres. Pastor would also pit without setting a time joined by both Mercedes cars. Grosjean would come out seeing just four cars on the track. Vettel was in third after his lap with a 1m:47.694.

Button would also pit joined by Vettel and Hamilton. Pastor was back out on new super soft tyres, joined by Alonso on new super soft tyres. Webber was also back out as we only had the Mercedes cars still in the pits with two minutes remaining. Grosjean's lap was ragged with lock ups as Rosberg got out of his car. Grosjean would set a 1m:47.788 to be fourth. Pastor was also on a quick lap going second with a time of 1m:46.804 with Button now third from Vettel. The period would end as drivers completed their laps. Alonso would move into third with a 1m:47.216. Vettel would go third and Button could only manager a time good enough for fourth, 1m:46.939. Alonso was down in fifth from Di Resta, Webber, Grosjean, Schumacher, and Rosberg making up the top ten.

What a great job from Pastor while all those around him failed to deliver Pastor just did the job and will start Sunday's race from the front row.