Sebastian Vettel will start the Chinese GP from 11th on the grid, having been bumped out of the top 10 in the Q2 qualifying session in Shanghai. This was a major blow for the team, although Mark Webber set the fastest time of the session. Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher were second and third, ahead of the Saubers of Sergio Perez and Kamui Kobayashi. Lewis Hamilton, Romain Grosjean, Kimi Raikkonen, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso.
Out with Vettel went Felipe Massa, the two Williamses, the two Force Indias and Dan Ricciardo.
Ouch! This is quite odd. I would have expected a very different result from the last few races. I would have thought that a two week break would give Newey the brain hours to solve some problems… but it appears it has gotten worse. I am never a fan of all out boring domination. But I very much hate seeing Vettel do this poorly. I want to see him fighting at the top of the heap again.
For someone who got a little tired of Vettel’s dominance last year, the headline for this post was laugh out loud funny. CLASSIC.
Joe, just on the subject of Massa, do you think he can survive one minute beyond end of race at Barcelona?
What is behind this Joe? Is it likely to last?
Best. Headline. Ever.
I’m looking at a mental picture of Vettel flashing ten fingers and a toe in front of every tv camera available. *giggles*
Oh dear, let’s hope he never qualifies 21st…
Good one, we definitely don’t want him talking about that, yes, yes, yes!
Great headline.
Everybody mourning for Seb or worried about ‘reverse domination’ …………… don’t be !
At one point 0.3 secs covered the first 12 drivers, and if Seb had shaved 0.15 secs off his time in that session he would have gone from 11th to 6th.
So for this race above all others the times seem to merely signify where they sit on the grid. Don’t worry about competitiveness, I reckon tomorrows going to be mighty. Esp when you look at the first 3 rows – and then the next 3 behind them. It’s going to be a real kick-fest in the first corner – with a bit of luck some fierce old stuff.
What’s interesting is Vettel misses the Q1 cut but was only about 3 tenths away from Webber in 1st and Rosberg grabs pole in Q1 by a half-second.
Close or what ?
It shoulkd be mighty !
A fan of Vettel but I really enjoyed your play on words in the title.
Well done Joe.
Its great we have a change….
Yes yes yes ……NO
I m sure Seb is still very fine after the race.And for all of us.Let him fight hard
for his 3th title if he wants to be a F1 legend.
It seems that everyone was wrong last season doesnt it? Actually Seb isn’t the greatest driver to ever walk the earth and Adrian Newey is in fact an idiot who can’t design a racing car for tofee!! It just shows how tight things are in F1 at the moment, a tiny slip can have you firmly in the mid field.