Image courtesy of Mercedes AMG Petronas
Q1 started off dry with a 20% chance of rain in qualifying. The Mercedes drivers both set 1:16.5’s early on with the prime tyre. Nico Hulkenberg brushed the outside barrier at Mirabeau but was able to carry on.
The shock Q1 exit was from Valterri Bottas. Others eliminated were Nasr (16th), Ericsson (18th), Stevens (19th) and Merhi (20th).
Marcus Ericsson suggested over radio that there was a problem in the last sector of his flying lap.
Q2 and the weather looked bleak again. Alonso pulled out of the session before he could set a lap.
Rosberg pulled out a massive lead over the rest with a 1:15.471, whilst Hamilton’s race engineer apologized for making his run difficult.
Vettel posted a time identical to Lewis’ on the soft tyre, 0.753 behind Rosberg. Hamilton closed the gap later in the session.
Rosberg brought out the yellows at the end of Q2 by locking up into turn 1, leaving drivers having to lift off on the last laps. Eliminated in Q2 were: Grosjean (11th), Button (12th), Hulkenberg (13th), Massa (14th) and Alonso (15th). Grosjean was out-qualified by Maldonado for the first time this season.
Q3 shootout and the Mercedes were out on track first as reports of a slight drizzle came in. Lewis set a 1:15.3 and Rosberg 1:15.4 just a tenth slower. Vettel half a second away. Perez initially set a good lap to put himself ahead of the Toro Rosso duo.
On their final laps, Lewis improved by 0.3s and Rosberg locked up into turn 1 again. Vettel finished in 3rd 0.75 seconds away. Ricciardo and Kvyat finished P5 and P6. Both outqualifying Raikkonen who had a miserable final run and pitted before he set a time.
Perez finished P7. Sainz 8th, Maldonado 9th and Verstappen will start the race in 10th place. Just 0.1 separating 7th to 10th.
The threat of rain came of nothing in the end.
