Courtesy of Mercedes AMG Petronas
Lewis Hamilton has made it 3 out of 3 in qualifying this year as he pipped Nico Rosberg to pole in China.
All drivers except the Mercedes went out on the option compound in the first session. Both McLaren cars went out in Q1 again, with Button out-qualifying team-mate Alonso once more. Hulkenberg joined the McLaren and Manor cars in the first elimination.
All drivers used the option compound tyre in Q2. Perez, the Toro Rosso cars, Kvyat and Maldonado were eliminated. Both Sauber cars progressed to Q3 for the first time since USA 2013.
Hamilton had maintained a 0.2 to 0.3 second gap advantage to Rosberg all weekend, but Nico closed the gap to under half a tenth on his final run. Mercedes were, as near as makes no difference, a whole second ahead of the nearest car driven by Vettel. Kimi Raikkonen had an awful first sector in his fastest lap and lines up in 6th. Massa out-qualified Bottas for the 3rd time this season – The Williams sandwiched by the Ferrari’s.
