German GP – Qualifications: Webber Takes Pole, Hamilton Causes a Surprise

Q1: The qualifying session started on a dry track and the fear of a shower quickly sends a few drivers to the clock. Timo Glock is the first driver to set a time followed by many drivers. 20 of them are on track. Mark Webber quickly sets the fastest time ahead of Jaime Alguersuari and Michael Schumacher. But soon, the other drivers from top teams surpass him, with Lewis Hamilton leading. After 10 minutes, all drivers are within 107%. Fernando Alonso then improves the benchmark time while neither the Sauber drivers nor Vitaly Petrov have left the pits yet.

The two Sauber drivers put on soft tires for a single timed lap and rank in the top 10. Only the LRGP driver has not yet set a time. But that’s done with the fifth position on soft tires. Playing it safe, his teammate imitates him and sets the best time, as do many other drivers who also make this choice, placing Kamui Kobayashi outside the top 17, eliminating him. Great performance by Daniel Ricciardo, who finishes just 25 thousandths behind his teammate for his second Grand Prix.

Eliminated from Q1: Kobayashi, Kovalainen, Glock, Chandhok, d’Ambrosio, Liuzzi, Ricciardo.

Q2: Felipe Massa is the first driver to go out in this second session and sets a time of 1’31’792, while his teammate is already far ahead of him in the second sector. But then Lewis Hamilton puts everyone in agreement by going, just like Sebastian Vettel this morning, under the 1’31 mark and takes first place. Sebastian Vettel then slots in between the Briton and Fernando Alonso for second place. After half of the session, many drivers return to the pits to apparently complete a new stint, while neither Maldonado nor the two Toro Rosso drivers have set a time.

It’s done for all three after a few more minutes, while Michael Schumacher is in danger, with a time just a tenth better than Adrian Sutil’s on the Force India. And Pastor Maldonado displaces him by taking 9th place, pushing Vitaly Petrov onto the ejector seat. Paul di Resta also improves to enter the top 10, the battle is fierce! Adrian Sutil and Michael Schumacher re-enter the top 10. Nick Heidfeld sets the 10th time, but his teammate sets the 9th time, pushing his own teammate out of 10th place. Lewis Hamilton pulled out all the stops to set the fastest time.

Eliminated from Q2: Heidfeld, di Resta, Maldonado, Barrichello, Perez, Buemi, Alguersuari

Q3: 5 drivers take to the track in the first minute of the session before being joined by the Red Bull drivers. The two Mercedes drivers and Adrian Sutil do not start at the beginning. Fernando Alonso sets a time of 1:30.866 before being dethroned by Lewis Hamilton with a 1:30.725. But it’s Mark Webber who strikes with a time of 1:30.251, while his teammate does ‘only’ 1:30.352. As all the drivers come in to switch to other tires, the two Mercedes drivers and Adrian Sutil take to the track to set a time. And Mark Webber comes out immediately, as do the others. All 10 drivers are on the track!

Mark Webber improves again with 1’30’079, and Lewis Hamilton positions himself between the two Red Bull drivers, with Sebastian Vettel finishing 3rd, to everyone’s great surprise. Jenson Button, unlike his teammate, finishes 7th, a full second behind Mark Webber.

The reigning world champion registers his worst qualifying of the year at home with this third place and will start alongside Fernando Alonso.

Results of the Qualifying – 2011 German Grand Prix: