Chinese GP: Bottas 5th in Qualifying

Team Summary:
Q1: Qualifying would revert back to the 2015 format with six cars dropped at the end of the 1st and 2nd periods. The first eighteen minute period would get underway with a group of drivers coming out on intermediate tyres feeling that there were damp patches on the circuit. Neither of the Williams cars would come out early as Hamilton reported that the track was dry. But the period would be red flagged as Wehrlein had spun on a wet patch going into Turn one. The track was mainly dry but there were two wet patches on the main straight. Prior to the red flag there were a mixture of intermediate and dry tyres being used.

The period would restart with Gutierrez out first followed by Alonso both on the supersoft tyre. The Williams team would hold off sending their cars out. A 1m:40.262 from Gutierrez with ten minutes remaining. Button would go quicker with a 1m:38.324 followed by Alonso. The Mercedes team would report that they were trying to sort out an engine issue for Hamilton. Grosjean was third with half the field yet to come out. All the times were been set on the supersoft tyre. With six minutes remaining both Williams cars were out for their first runs. Rosberg was quickest with a 1m:37.669 from Button and Alonso. Hamilton was on the track but may have still had an issue with his engine. He would pit not having set a time. Valtteri was second behind Raikkonen who had gone fastest with a 1m:37.347.

Vettel would go quickest with a 1m:37.001 seeing Valtteri now third. Hamilton was out of his car without having set a time. Sainz was fourth followed by Rosberg, Ricciardo, Kvyat, Felipe, Perez, and Hulkenberg tenth. With the end of the period it would be Magnussen, Gutierrez, Palmer, Haryanto, Wehrlein, and Hamilton.

Q2: The fifteen minute period would commence with sixteen cars looking to set a time. Rosberg was out first running on the soft tyre. Was he looking to set his time on the soft tyre and that would be what he would start the race on. A 1m:36.240 from Rosberg on his soft tyre. A 1m:37.149 from Perez on the supersoft tyre to be second. Hulkenberg was third also on the supersoft tyre. A 1m:36.815 from Ricciardo to be second making it look like Rosberg's time was looking very good. Four minutes remaining and Raikkonen and Vettel would go first and second with times of 1m:36.118 and 1m:36.183. Hulkenberg would stop at the side of the track having lost his left front wheel. The session would be red flagged meaning Felipe will not be able to do another flying lap. The period would not be restarted.

Q3: With Valtteri in the final twelve minute period it would commence with Valtteri out early on the supersoft tyre. With Hulkenberg out only nine drivers would be running. A 1m:37.958 from Perez with Rosberg then setting a 1m:36.111 to be quickest. Sainz was now second with Valtteri third. Raikkonen would set a 1m:35.972 to be quickest from Rosberg and Ricciardo and Kvyat. Valtteri had dropped to sixth. Vettel was only going to do a single run still in his pit. With their second runs Valtteri would move up to third while Rosberg would set a 1m:35.402 to be quickest with Ricciardo second. Raikkonen was now in third and Vettel fourth. This would see Valtteri fifth.

Valtteri Bottas:
Q1: Valtteri was still in his pit having not come out before the red flag. Valtteri would be first out for Williams running on the supersoft tyre. His first time was a 1m:37.537 to move into second behind Raikkonen. Valtteri would finish the period in third safely into the second period.

Q2: Valtteri would be the last to come out with five minutes remaining. There was a lot of pressure on Valtteri as he started his flying lap. He would finish with a 1m:36.831 to be fifth. It was a quite straight forward period for Valtteri having set just the single time.

Q3: Valtteri would come out for his first run running on the supersoft tyre. He would set a 1m:37.130 to be third. he would drop to fourth then sixth as others went quicker. Valtteri would return on a new set of supersoft tyres. Valtteri would finish his lap setting a 1m:36.296 to be third. He would say to the team that "We can have a good race from here."

Felipe Massa:
Q1: Felipe would be out first for Williams coming out on the intermediate tyre. He would be forced to pit with the red flag. Felipe would say that they should consider switching the DRS on a little bit later after they get past the wet patch. Felipe would follow Valtteri out also on the supersoft tyre. Felipe would set a 1m:38.016 to be eighth after his first run. He would finish the period ninth like his team-mate safety through.

Q2: Felipe was out first for Williams in this period. He was on a new set of supersoft tyres. Felipe would finish with a 1m:37.347 to be eighth. He would say that he lost time behind another car and could find time. Felipe would come back out on a new set of supersoft tyres. He had dropped to eleventh so needed to put in a quick time to move into the top ten. But the period would be red flagged seeing Felipe unable to go back out and do another flying lap. Felipe would say that he made a mistake at Turn twelve and lost time down the back straight.