June 27, 2010
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European Grand Prix 2010 Vettel Takes Pole
Vettel leads all-Red Bull front row in Valencia
26 June 2010Sebastian Vettel has claimed his first pole position since Malaysia and will start ahead of Red Bull Racing team-mate Mark Webber in Sunday’s European Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton managed third for McLaren, despite a last-lap mistake, and local favourite Fernando Alonso starts fourth after both Williams also made the top ten.
It was a lovely day for Formula 1 alongside Valencia’s port on Saturday as the fraternity makes its third visit to the Spanish venue. With one national driver having competed in 2008, the figure went up to two last year and has now reached three as Fernando Alonso is joined on-track by both Pedro de la Rosa and Jaime Alguersuari.
With air temperatures reading a highly pleasant 25°C (77°F), Jarno Trulli was first out on-track in Q1 as the famed Lotus name celebrates its 500th Grand Prix this weekend. Robert Kubica was last to make an appearance although, once doing so, the Renault driver shot from one end of the timesheets to the other on a day when both he and team-mate Vitaly Petrov made the top ten shootout.There were worrying times for Michael Schumacher and Mercedes GP; hindered by a suspected power steering problem, forcing his car to pull to one side, the German looked set to be eliminated at the earliest possible point but managed to submit a sufficient lap time, leaving Kamui Kobayashi’s Sauber as a Q1 knockout for the second successive race.
Schumacher narrowly avoided Q1 elimination before then being knocked out in Q2
At the back, Trulli goes 5-4 up on Lotus team-mate Heikki Kovalainen for 2010 qualifying and Virgin’s Lucas di Grassi out-qualifies team-mate Timo Glock – whose last lap was compromised by a trip over the final corner exit kerbs – for the first time. Hispania pilots Karun Chandhok and Bruno Senna line up on the back row for the Murcia-based outfit’s second home Grand Prix of the season.Like in practice yesterday and this morning, there were few incidents but more lap time-related surprises in Q2 as both Mercedes works cars were eliminated as well as the two Mercedes-powered Force Indias; Michael Schumacher’s 15th place result marks his worst qualifying position of the season so far as team-mate Rosberg sets off from 12th.
Vitaly Petrov starts in the top ten for the second time this year
However, Sébastien Buemi posted another highly credible performance; after scoring four points in Canada a fortnight ago, the Swiss driver is the leading Q2 eliminate in 11th and starts six positions ahead of Spanish team-mate Jaime Alguersuari, who in-turn is just one position behind compatriot de la Rosa’s Sauber.
That left Red Bull – first and second in Q2 – to contest pole along with McLaren, Ferrari, Renault and Williams, as the two Grove cars enjoyed a sensational performance rise.Perhaps surprisingly, GP2 Champion Nico Hülkenberg – who was just four thousandths slower than Rubens Barrichello in Montreal – is the leading Williams although the German’s best effort was identical to the Brazilian’s, down to the thousandth – Nico will start eighth, as he set his lap first, whilst Barrichello shares the fifth row with Vitaly Petrov.
Williams’ gain is Force India and Mercedes’ loss in Spain
Further up, both McLarens blew their last laps as World Champion Jenson Button’s final corner error resulted in what could have been a possible fourth place becoming sixth, then finally seventh as Robert Kubica downgraded the Englishman from the final Row 3 slot.
That left Alonso and Massa fourth and fifth in highly upgraded Ferraris – carrying Red Bull-like low exhaust outlets – as Lewis Hamilton admittedly was fortunate to stay third after abandoning his last lap due to running over the slippery white line which defines the edge of the track on the entry to Turn 12.Just 75 thousandths of a second separate the pack-leading Red Bull cars which, as pointed out by former team driver turned BBC television pundit David Coulthard in the paddock, translates to a margin of just 56 centimetres in distance.
Vettel’s pole is his fourth of 2010 but first since Malaysia which, incidentally, was the scene of his last race victory.
More: Reaction from pole-sitter Sebastian Vettel
