In a Qualifying session interrupted by three red flags, Sebastian Vettel has taken pole position for tomorrow’s Japanese Grand Prix. Jarno Trulli and Lewis Hamilton complete the top three starting positions for the race.
The session was marred by three red flags in which Jamie Alguersuari, Heikki Kovalainen and Timo Glock had accidents in which Glock was reportedly injured and flown to a near-by hospital for further examination.
The culprit for Alguersuari and Kovalainen was turn 8 known as Degner. Buemi went of twice, once in Q1 and then finally in Q3. Kovalainen also went off at the turn 8/9 complex ending his Q3 session.
The controversy didn’t end with drivers failing to negotiate Degner; the Q2 session produced a local yellow for Sebastian Beumi’s crash on the exit of Spoon corner. Under yellow, it is argued that both Braw GP cars did not lift off the throttle and kept their hot laps going to give them a 5tha nd 7th on the starting grid. Fernando Alonso seemed to question the tactic arguing that it is understood that a driver must lift off during local yellows but argues that the Brawn’s did not. There is a chance that upon review, the Stewards could choose to take action against the Brawns if they are deemed to have not complied with the regulations during a local yellow flag.
Mark Webber, who crashed in practice at Degner, damaged his car to a point that they could not participate in qualifying. Webber and teammate Vettel will book-end the grid tomorrow with the former starting at the back in P20.
1. Vettel Red Bull-Renault (B) 1:30.883 1:30.341 1:32.160
2. Trulli Toyota (B) 1:31.063 1:30.737 1:32.220
3. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1:30.917 1:30.627 1:32.395
4. Sutil Force India-Mercedes (B) 1:31.386 1:31.222 1:32.466
5. Barrichello Brawn-Mercedes (B) 1:31.272 1:31.055 1:32.660
6. Heidfeld BMW-Sauber (B) 1:31.501 1:31.260 1:32.945
7. Button Brawn-Mercedes (B) 1:31.041 1:30.880 1:32.962
8. Raikkonen Ferrari (B) 1:31.228 1:31.052 1:32.980
9. Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1:31.499 1:31.223
10. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:31.196 1:31.103
11. Rosberg Williams-Toyota (B) 1:31.286 1:31.482
12. Alonso Renault (B) 1:31.401 1:31.638
13. Kubica BMW-Sauber (B) 1:31.417 1:32.341
14. Glock Toyota (B) 1:31.550
15. Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:31.571
16. Fisichella Ferrari (B) 1:31.704
17. Nakajima Williams-Toyota (B) 1:31.718
18. Grosjean Renault (B) 1:32.073
19. Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes (B) 1:32.087
20. Webber Red Bull-Renault (B)
