(Nico Hulkenberg; Source: f1fanatic.co.uk)
And we’re down to the wire, as its time once again for the penultimate Grand Prix race of the 2010 Formula 1 season! As I’m busy playin’ Ketsup on my racing coverage... (Again!) As I was pre-occupied yesterday & originally thought I’d be pulling a ‘Double by watching the Friday Practice & Saturday Qualifying Back-to-Back – sometime Saturday; CRIKEYS! (Having just watched a most enjoyable outcome at Interlagos...)
As hopefully Webber can grab another Pole Position with Master ‘Zebb as his Wingman – for another Red Bull Front Row lockout, eh? Although NO word on ‘Weather or Not that funky wet stuff will appear during Saturday’s festivities?
Meanwhile there’s still 50 points on the table for the next two race wins...
2010 Drivers Championship – Top 5
As hopefully Webber can grab another Pole Position with Master ‘Zebb as his Wingman – for another Red Bull Front Row lockout, eh? Although NO word on ‘Weather or Not that funky wet stuff will appear during Saturday’s festivities?
Meanwhile there’s still 50 points on the table for the next two race wins...
2010 Drivers Championship – Top 5
P1) Fernando Alonso; 231 Points
P2) Mark Webber; 220pts
P2) Mark Webber; 220pts
P3) Lewis Hamilton; 210pts
P4) Sebastian Vettel; 206pts
P5) Jenson Button; 189pts
P5) Jenson Button; 189pts
(As of Round 17 – Korea)
Practice - Friday
In typical fashion, once again it was the Red Bull Freightrain pulling onto the front row of the Grid, as Master ‘Zebb, a.k.a. Sebastian Vettel led the parade ahead of teammate Mark Webber. While Fredrico Suave, a.k.a. Fred Alonso was third, even after having shut off his Ferrari lump during the day’s first Free Practice (FP1) session, whilst teammate Felipe Massa saw his Seamless Shift transmission try selecting two gears at once after hitting a nasty bump in FP2.
The two Woking title protagonists, “Louise ‘JAGUAR” (Hamilton( & ‘JENSE (Button) of McLaren were fourth and seventh respectively, split by Massa (P5) and “The Krakow Kid,” nee Robert Kubica, (P6) with the biggest Top-10 surprise being “Quick Nick’s” (Heidfeld) Sauber in eighth and the Mercedes duo of Nico Rosberg once again leading “Schuey” home for the final two placing’s of the first ten spots on the days Timesheet...
Qualifying - Saturday
And then the rain came, as Kubica was fastest in the morning’s WET Free Practice session, (FP3) before we were once again watching the cars slither around in the “wet Stuff!” As the Q1 session saw the most inclement weather conditions. As ironically Adrian Sutil failed to move onto Q2 for the first time this year and claimed his teammate was absolutely ‘Rubbish out there... As the two drivers almost collided, whilst the Red Bull Duo were happy to wait out the remaining minutes of the session in the garage; just being nipped by “Ferdi-the-Putz!” (Alonso) Who bolted on a fresh set of “Interz” (Intermediate tyres) with Webber second & Vettel third; Button was eighth & Hamilton was ninth, with the surprise of the session being Sauber’s “K-Squared” (Kamui Kobayashi) in fifth.
Moving onto Q2, once again it was the ‘Zebb “N Webber Show, as the Red Bull Duo moved forward one spot apiece; with Webber P1 and Vettel P2.
Hamilton was fourth and ‘Ferdi sixth, while the title competitors were split by somebody I like to call DER TERMINATOR, nee M. Schumacher...
Once again qualifying was unkind to current World Champion Button – who has a propensity for shunning the front half of the Grid in Sao Paolo; having missed the Top-10 since 2005... Thus once again it wasn’t to be ‘JENSE’s day as local Hero Massa squeaked by to take the final slot for Q3, while uncharacteristically, Nico Rosberg also missed the cut and would ultimately be out qualified by Herr Schumacher for only the fourth time this season...
P11) Jenson Button, McLaren. (-42pts)
P13) Nico Rosberg, Mercedes.
Then it was onto the ‘Final Cut, as shockingly – The Incredible Hulk came outta NOWHERES! As the young German Nico Hulkenberg blitzed the entire field to secure his debutant Grand Prix Pole – in his Rookie season! As it was pretty funny to hear SPEED’s Bob Varsha calling Master ‘Zebb a “Grizzled Veteran,” especially since he noted Vettel’s only 47-days old-ER then The Hulkster; Hya! Although I haveda say it didn’t look like Nico’s uniform sleeves were deranged at all during the Top-3 interviews... Oh Never Mind! As I’m sure the neighbors were wunderin’ what all of my jubilant exaltations were about, eh? While Vettel seemed pretty happy and I thought that even Webber seemed relieved during his Post ‘Qualie interview.
It was also noted that it was “Team Willie’s” (Williams) first Pole since Nick Heidfeld’s 2005 European GP triumph and Cosworth’s first No. 1 spot since 1999; Aye Karumba! To which Williams F1 Co-owner said,
Patrick Head: “The boy’s obviously got a future!”
Q3 “Qualie Results
Pole) Nico Hulkenberg, Williams; P2) Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull; (-25pts) P3 ) Mark Webber, Red Bull; (-11 pts) P4) Lewis Hamilton, McLaren; (-21pts) P5) Fernando Alonso, Ferrari; (Points leader) P6) Rubens Barrichello, Williams; P7) Robert Kubica, Renault; P8) Michael Schumacher, Mercedes; P9) Felipe Massa, Ferrari; P10) Vitaly Petrov, Renault.
Brazil Qualifying in Pictures
Practice - Friday
In typical fashion, once again it was the Red Bull Freightrain pulling onto the front row of the Grid, as Master ‘Zebb, a.k.a. Sebastian Vettel led the parade ahead of teammate Mark Webber. While Fredrico Suave, a.k.a. Fred Alonso was third, even after having shut off his Ferrari lump during the day’s first Free Practice (FP1) session, whilst teammate Felipe Massa saw his Seamless Shift transmission try selecting two gears at once after hitting a nasty bump in FP2.
The two Woking title protagonists, “Louise ‘JAGUAR” (Hamilton( & ‘JENSE (Button) of McLaren were fourth and seventh respectively, split by Massa (P5) and “The Krakow Kid,” nee Robert Kubica, (P6) with the biggest Top-10 surprise being “Quick Nick’s” (Heidfeld) Sauber in eighth and the Mercedes duo of Nico Rosberg once again leading “Schuey” home for the final two placing’s of the first ten spots on the days Timesheet...
Qualifying - Saturday
And then the rain came, as Kubica was fastest in the morning’s WET Free Practice session, (FP3) before we were once again watching the cars slither around in the “wet Stuff!” As the Q1 session saw the most inclement weather conditions. As ironically Adrian Sutil failed to move onto Q2 for the first time this year and claimed his teammate was absolutely ‘Rubbish out there... As the two drivers almost collided, whilst the Red Bull Duo were happy to wait out the remaining minutes of the session in the garage; just being nipped by “Ferdi-the-Putz!” (Alonso) Who bolted on a fresh set of “Interz” (Intermediate tyres) with Webber second & Vettel third; Button was eighth & Hamilton was ninth, with the surprise of the session being Sauber’s “K-Squared” (Kamui Kobayashi) in fifth.
Moving onto Q2, once again it was the ‘Zebb “N Webber Show, as the Red Bull Duo moved forward one spot apiece; with Webber P1 and Vettel P2.
Hamilton was fourth and ‘Ferdi sixth, while the title competitors were split by somebody I like to call DER TERMINATOR, nee M. Schumacher...
Once again qualifying was unkind to current World Champion Button – who has a propensity for shunning the front half of the Grid in Sao Paolo; having missed the Top-10 since 2005... Thus once again it wasn’t to be ‘JENSE’s day as local Hero Massa squeaked by to take the final slot for Q3, while uncharacteristically, Nico Rosberg also missed the cut and would ultimately be out qualified by Herr Schumacher for only the fourth time this season...
P11) Jenson Button, McLaren. (-42pts)
P13) Nico Rosberg, Mercedes.
Then it was onto the ‘Final Cut, as shockingly – The Incredible Hulk came outta NOWHERES! As the young German Nico Hulkenberg blitzed the entire field to secure his debutant Grand Prix Pole – in his Rookie season! As it was pretty funny to hear SPEED’s Bob Varsha calling Master ‘Zebb a “Grizzled Veteran,” especially since he noted Vettel’s only 47-days old-ER then The Hulkster; Hya! Although I haveda say it didn’t look like Nico’s uniform sleeves were deranged at all during the Top-3 interviews... Oh Never Mind! As I’m sure the neighbors were wunderin’ what all of my jubilant exaltations were about, eh? While Vettel seemed pretty happy and I thought that even Webber seemed relieved during his Post ‘Qualie interview.
It was also noted that it was “Team Willie’s” (Williams) first Pole since Nick Heidfeld’s 2005 European GP triumph and Cosworth’s first No. 1 spot since 1999; Aye Karumba! To which Williams F1 Co-owner said,
Patrick Head: “The boy’s obviously got a future!”
Q3 “Qualie Results
Pole) Nico Hulkenberg, Williams; P2) Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull; (-25pts) P3 ) Mark Webber, Red Bull; (-11 pts) P4) Lewis Hamilton, McLaren; (-21pts) P5) Fernando Alonso, Ferrari; (Points leader) P6) Rubens Barrichello, Williams; P7) Robert Kubica, Renault; P8) Michael Schumacher, Mercedes; P9) Felipe Massa, Ferrari; P10) Vitaly Petrov, Renault.
Brazil Qualifying in Pictures