Header Ads

Header ADS

Kvyat walks away unharmed after smashing into barriers in Japan before Rosberg snatches pole position from team-mate Hamilton

Kvyat walks away unharmed after smashing into barriers in Japan before Rosberg snatches pole position from team-mate Hamilton

Daniil Kvyat unharmed after rolling his Red Bull as Nico Rosberg takes pole position ahead
MATT MORLIDGE IN SUZUKA: Daniil Kvyat was lucky to escape unharmed after colliding with the barrier and flipping his Red Bull in qualifying at Suzuka . As Formula One returned to the track for the first time since Jules Bianchi's devastating crash, it was exactly what this Japanese Grand Prix didn't need. Kvyat, just 21 years old, lost control of his car when coming out of the uphill Degners and approaching the hairpin. The back of his Red Bull hit the wall and was launched into the air, rolling before grinding to a halt. 
Daniil Kvyat was incredibly lucky to escape unharmed after colliding with the barrier and rolling his Red Bull
Daniil Kvyat was incredibly lucky to escape unharmed after colliding with the barrier and rolling his Red Bull
Kvyat lost control of his car when coming out of the Degners and approaching the hairpin
Kvyat lost control of his car when coming out of the Degners and approaching the hairpin
The 21-year-old collides with the barrier during Saturday's qualifying in Suzuka 
The 21-year-old collides with the barrier during Saturday's qualifying in Suzuka 
The car was a complete wreck, but his team will have just been delighted to hear the young Russian reply ‘I’m fine’ as he clambered out of the crumpled chassis.
Recovery vehicles which Bianchi clattered into last year in his Marussia, eventually losing his life in July due to the head injuries sustained, had to be used again to carry Kvyat’s stricken car off the track. The conditions were dry on this occasion and this was a driver error, but the danger of the sport was highlighted once again.
Q3 understandably had to be red flagged, with Mercedes leaving the rest of the field in their wake. Perhaps Singapore was indeed just a fluke. The only surprise here, however, was that it was Nico Rosberg denying Lewis Hamilton a 12th pole in 14 races to head into Sunday’s race in the perfect position.
Valtteri Bottas will start on the second row of the grid in his Williams, closely followed by Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, who couldn’t quite take his pace from Marina Bay to Japan. Felipe Massa qualified in fifth. 
With a minute remaining before the session was brought to an end due to Kvyat’s crash at turn 10, the field could have changed places drastically, but the Red Bull man’s safety was of course much more important. His team-mate Daniel Ricciardo exclaimed ‘oh wow, jeepers,’ when shown a replay. 

JAPANESE GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING RESULTS 

1. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1:32.584
2. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes 1:32.660
3. Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Williams-Mercedes 1:33.024
4. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Ferrari 1:33.245
5. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Williams-Mercedes 1:33.337
6. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari 1:33.347
7. Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) RedBull - Renault 1:33.497
8. Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus - Mercedes 1:33.967
9. Sergio Perez (Mexico) Force India - Mercedes
10. Daniil Kvyat (Russia) RedBull - Renault
- - - - - - - - - -
11. Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India - Mercedes 1:34.390
12. Carlos Sainz Jr (Spain) Toro Rosso - Renault 1:34.453
13. Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Lotus - Mercedes 1:34.497
14. Fernando Alonso (Spain) McLaren 1:34.785
15. Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Toro Rosso - Renault
- - - - - - - - - -
16. Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1:35.664
17. Marcus Ericsson (Sweden) Sauber - Ferrari 1:35.673
18. Felipe Nasr (Brazil) Sauber - Ferrari 1:35.760
19. Will Stevens (Britain) Marussia - Ferrari 1:38.783
20. Alexander Rossi (U.S.) Marussia - Ferrari 1:47.114
The back of Kvyat's Red Bull hit the wall and was launched into the air, rolling before grinding to a halt
The back of Kvyat's Red Bull hit the wall and was launched into the air, rolling before grinding to a halt
Despite the dramatic shunt, Kvyat revealed he was 'fine' after clambering out of the wrecked Red Bull
Despite the dramatic shunt, Kvyat revealed he was 'fine' after clambering out of the wrecked Red Bull
Kvyat's Red Bull is moved onto a truck following the shunt which put an end to Saturday's qualifying  
Kvyat's Red Bull is moved onto a truck following the shunt which put an end to Saturday's qualifying  
Kvyat, who will start the race in 10th on Sunday, said: ‘It's OK, more disappointment than pain. A rookie mistake, I put a wheel on the grass.’
Teams entered qualifying with little data to go off of after Friday’s practice sessions were almost complete washouts. An hour of FP3 wasn’t ideal preparation.
Marcus Ericsson was the first to lose his way around this historic circuit, spinning his Sauber into the gravel after edging onto the curve. The next driver to lose his way would disrupt many more of his competitors, mind.
Yellow flags were waved as Max Verstappen’s Toro Rosso was parked horizontally on the track with the majority of the cars at the back of the grid on better runs. That McLaren are on that list is slightly embarrassing, but Jenson Button couldn’t get himself out of Q1.
It wasn’t just the forced slow middle sector that prevented him. The Brit wasn’t happy with certain instructions and set-ups from his team. Days like this could be a reason he seems to be heading for the Formula One exit door. 
Mercedes' Nico Rosberg earned pole position for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix
Mercedes' Nico Rosberg earned pole position for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix
Rosberg's Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton (pictured) will start in second on Saturday
Rosberg's Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton (pictured) will start in second on Saturday
Valtteri Bottas will start on the second row of the grid in his Williams, closely followed by Felipe Massa
Valtteri Bottas will start on the second row of the grid in his Williams, closely followed by Felipe Massa
‘In the position we are in, we can’t make any mistakes,’ the 35-year-old said on the radio.
After the complete electronic failure, Max Verstappen didn’t have a chance to make it into Q3 and stayed in the pits. The 17-year-old will have to overtake from P15. Fernando Alonso will try to join him in making his way up through the field from 14th, as despite his best efforts with that Honda engine, the Spaniard was half a second off making it into the final session. Romain Grosjean and Sergio Perez meanwhile, could be pleased with their efforts to make it.
Rosberg is 41 points behind Hamilton in the championship but insisted he won’t be giving up and looked to be tuned in on Saturday. The usual gap between the pair had been reversed. He set a time of one minute, 32.854 seconds, just over a tenth faster than his British team-mate.
Rosberg (centre) waves with Hamilton (left) and Bottas after taking pole position in the qualifying session
Rosberg (centre) waves with Hamilton (left) and Bottas after taking pole position in the qualifying session
British driver Hamilton talks with Williams' Bottas following the qualifying session in Japan
British driver Hamilton talks with Williams' Bottas following the qualifying session in Japan
It is his second successive pole at Suzuka but just the second time the German has started at the front of the grid this season.
‘Very happy, great day today, and a good comeback for the team,’ Rosberg said.
‘It's fantastic after Singapore to be back to our usual strength. Pretty much nailed my laps today. Really pleased with the way it went.
Hamilton, 30, will be frustrated with himself for failing to secure a pole position for the second week in a row. He made a mistake on his first run, but couldn’t have foreseen what would follow. He said the last lap ‘was looking good’ but conceded he was just glad ‘Kvyat was safe’.


No comments

Powered by Blogger.