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7th
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Spaniard Fernando Alonso topped a wet qualifying at Silverstone, ahead of the British GP.
The top 10 shootout that saw championship leader Alonso take pole ahead of Red Bull's Mark Webber and Mercedes' Michael Schumacher was only the tip of the iceberg, as the red flagged qualifying session offered plenty of excitement.
It all started in Q1, when rain caught out a few drivers. Noticeably, Jenson Button (McLaren), unhappy on the Pirelli intermediate tires, made an early exit. 18th after the session the first segment, he was not allowed to go on in Q2 to try and redeem himself.
Q2 saw weather conditions worsen. Sergio Perez (Sauber) was the early star before the session was eventually red flagged by race director Charlie Whiting. When the action resumed, more than 30 minutes later, the track was considerably faster and everybody had to go out again to fight for a place in the final portion of qualifying.
The biggest looser of Q2 was Romain Grosjean (Lotus), who despite posting the 10th fastest lap, could not go on to fight for pole as he beached his car in the dying moments of the session. He therefore didn't go out in Q3.
On the drying track of Q3, drivers, including Schumacher and Kimi Räikkönen (Lotus), who had opted for the full wet had to come in for inters. Schumacher improved to third fastest, behind Alonso and Webber, but ahead of reigning double champion Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), Felipe Massa (Ferrari), Räikkönen, Pastor Maldonado (Williams) and Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), who is only eighth.
Nico Hulkenberg (Force India), in ninth, was the slowest car on track. Grosjean rounds out the top 10.
Penalties to Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber), Jean-Éric Vergne (Toro Rosso), Hulkenberg and Charles Pic (Marussia) will see each of them drop down the order.
Qualifying results* - British GP (Silverstone)
1. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 1min51.746s - Q3
2. Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1min51.793s - Q3
3. Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1min52.020s - Q3
4. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1min52.199s - Q3
5. Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1min53.065s - Q3
6. Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1min53.290s - Q3
7. Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault)
8. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1min53.543s - Q3
9. Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault) - no time - Q3
10. Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1min57.009s - Q2
11. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1min57.108s - Q2
12. Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1min57.132s - Q2
13. Bruno Senna (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1min57.427s - Q2
14. Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1min54.382s - Q3 ****
15. Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1min57.895s - Q2
16. Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1min48.044s - Q1
17. Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1min57.071s - Q2 ***
18. Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1min49.027s - Q1
19. Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1min49.477s - Q1
20. Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1min51.618s - Q1
21. Pedro De La Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1min52.742s - Q1
22. Narain Karthikeyan (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1min53.040s - Q1
23. Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1min57.719s - Q2 **
24. Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1min54.143s - Q1 ****
*Unofficial timing
** 10-place grid penalty for Valencia incident
*** 5-place grid penalty for Valencia incident
**** 5-place grid penalty for gearbox change
The top 10 shootout that saw championship leader Alonso take pole ahead of Red Bull's Mark Webber and Mercedes' Michael Schumacher was only the tip of the iceberg, as the red flagged qualifying session offered plenty of excitement.
It all started in Q1, when rain caught out a few drivers. Noticeably, Jenson Button (McLaren), unhappy on the Pirelli intermediate tires, made an early exit. 18th after the session the first segment, he was not allowed to go on in Q2 to try and redeem himself.
Q2 saw weather conditions worsen. Sergio Perez (Sauber) was the early star before the session was eventually red flagged by race director Charlie Whiting. When the action resumed, more than 30 minutes later, the track was considerably faster and everybody had to go out again to fight for a place in the final portion of qualifying.
The biggest looser of Q2 was Romain Grosjean (Lotus), who despite posting the 10th fastest lap, could not go on to fight for pole as he beached his car in the dying moments of the session. He therefore didn't go out in Q3.
On the drying track of Q3, drivers, including Schumacher and Kimi Räikkönen (Lotus), who had opted for the full wet had to come in for inters. Schumacher improved to third fastest, behind Alonso and Webber, but ahead of reigning double champion Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), Felipe Massa (Ferrari), Räikkönen, Pastor Maldonado (Williams) and Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), who is only eighth.
Nico Hulkenberg (Force India), in ninth, was the slowest car on track. Grosjean rounds out the top 10.
Penalties to Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber), Jean-Éric Vergne (Toro Rosso), Hulkenberg and Charles Pic (Marussia) will see each of them drop down the order.
Qualifying results* - British GP (Silverstone)
1. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 1min51.746s - Q3
2. Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1min51.793s - Q3
3. Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1min52.020s - Q3
4. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1min52.199s - Q3
5. Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1min53.065s - Q3
6. Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1min53.290s - Q3
7. Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault)
8. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1min53.543s - Q3
9. Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault) - no time - Q3
10. Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1min57.009s - Q2
11. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1min57.108s - Q2
12. Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1min57.132s - Q2
13. Bruno Senna (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1min57.427s - Q2
14. Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1min54.382s - Q3 ****
15. Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1min57.895s - Q2
16. Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1min48.044s - Q1
17. Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1min57.071s - Q2 ***
18. Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1min49.027s - Q1
19. Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1min49.477s - Q1
20. Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1min51.618s - Q1
21. Pedro De La Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1min52.742s - Q1
22. Narain Karthikeyan (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1min53.040s - Q1
23. Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1min57.719s - Q2 **
24. Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1min54.143s - Q1 ****
*Unofficial timing
** 10-place grid penalty for Valencia incident
*** 5-place grid penalty for Valencia incident
**** 5-place grid penalty for gearbox change