Abu Dhabi Gp - Qualifying - Lotus Renault Gp Report

Vitaly Petrov, R31-06

Q1: P6, 1.40.955, 10 laps

Q2: P12, 1.40.919, 8 laps

Bruno Senna, R31-04

Q1: P12, 1.41.391, 9 laps

Q2: P14, 1.41.079, 6 laps

Lotus Renault GP will have a lot of work to do during tomorrow’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after a difficult qualifying session at the Yas Marina Circuit. Despite the session taking place in the early evening, it was still hot as air temperatures reached 26°C.

Both Bruno Senna and Vitaly Petrov went out early in Q1, putting in a five-lap run on the Pirelli medium tyres before switching to the softs for the final seven-minute push for Bruno and six-minute push for Vitaly.

Vitaly had just enough time to put in another flying lap. He duly nailed a time of 1min 40.955secs to seal 6^th place and make it into Q2. Bruno’s 1min 41.391secs was good enough to break into the top 12.

In Q2 Vitaly and Bruno were heading out again on soft tyres – when the session was red-flagged for Felipe Massa knocking over a bollard. That meant Bruno and Vitaly only had nine minutes left to set a lap when the session resumed for the final run. Vitaly set a time of 1min 40.919secs to take 12^th on the grid and Bruno put in a lap of 1min 41.079 to go 14^th.

In the final Q3 shoot-out, Sebastian Vettel took pole position for Red Bull with a lap of 1min 38.481secs ahead of the McLarens Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.

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