Rosberg Rushes to Second Straight F1 Race Pole in Spain




Photo source: Mercedes AMG



















For the third race in a row in 2013, a Mercedes AMG car will lead the Formula 1 field to green. Qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya, the PETRONAS-sponsored race team bettered the field on the final time sheet in dominating style.

Collecting the top spot in back-to-back Formula 1 events, Nico Rosberg carried his Mercedes F1 W04 around the 4.655-kilometer in 1 minute and 20.718 seconds in the final Q3 time trial session. “it's a great feeling to be on pole again. So far this weekend has been very positive and it's a pleasure to see that the team is improving and fighting through the problems together. I know everyone back at the factory and at home will have been watching this afternoon and it's a great feeling for all of us" said Rosberg in a post-qualifying posting on the Mercedes AMG webpage. Rosberg's pole-winning time was one-quarter of a second faster than the teammate Lewis Hamilton. 27 points away from Sebastian Vettel in the Formula 1 Driver's Championship after the opening four races of the 2013 Formula 1 season.

As for the current point leader, his Red Bull-Renault will be in close pursuit of the Mercedes AMG cars. Starting in 3rd spot, Sebastian Vettel's fastest time in Q3 was 0.082 of a second short of the mark set by Hamilton. Vettel misses out on a front row position for only the second time in the 2013 Formula 1 season.





Photo source: Pirelli Photo Service

In fourth place, Kimi Raikkonen is still in a mission to post a consistent effort so far this Formula 1 season with the Lotus F1 Team. Leaving the Bahrain Grand Prix with a second place finish, Raikkonen is 10 points behind Vettel in the driver's standing heading into the Spanish Grand Prix. Kimi Raikkonen has posted two career victories at the Circuit de Catalunya. The second Lotus-Renault race car of Romain Grosjean will be starting in a respectable sixth in Sunday.

Following a less than respectable Bahrain Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso enters his home country eager to recapture the magic he used to win the Chinese Grand Prix. Alonso starts fifth in his Ferrari. Though Alonso's teammate Felipe Massa posted a near identical time, the Brazilian wheeling the second Ferrari F138 will have to start ninth on the grid after race stewards penalized him for impeding other vehicles in qualifying. Sauber driver Esteban Gutierrez was also handed a similar three grid spot penalty.


 



Photo source: Mercedes AMG

The entire top-10 in the Spanish Grand Prix have opted for medium compound Pirelli tires on the starting grid tomorrow.

The 2013 Spanish Grand Prix will start at 2 PM local time in Spain or 8 AM Eastern time.



2013 Formula 1
Spanish Grand Prix
Qualifying Results

Pos #	Car #	Driver	Team	Engine
1	9	Nico Rosberg	Mercedes AMG	Mercedes-Benz
2	10	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes AMG	Mercedes-Benz
3	1	Sebastian Vettel	Red Bull	Renault
4	7	Kimi Raikkonen	Lotus	Renault
5	3	Fernando Alonso	Ferrari	Ferrari
6	8	Romain Grosjean	Lotus	Renault
7	2	Mark Webber	Red Bull	Renault
8	6	Sergio Perez	McLaren	Mercedes-Benz
9	4	Felipe Massa	Ferrari	Ferrari
10	14	Paul di Resta	Force India	Mercedes-Benz
11	19	Daniel Ricciardo	Scuderia Toro Rosso	Ferrari
12	18	Jean-Eric Vergne	Scuderia Toro Rosso	Ferrari
13	15	Adrian Sutil	Force India	Mercedes-Benz
14	5	Jenson Button	McLaren	Mercedes-Benz
15	11	Nico Hulkenberg	Sauber	Ferrari
16	17	Valtteri Bottas	Williams F1	Renault
17	16	Pastor Maldonado	Williams F1	Renault
18	21	Giedo van der Garde	Caterham	Renault
19	12	Esteban Gutierrez	Sauber	Ferrari
20	22	Jules Bianchi	Marussia	Cosworth
21	23	Max Chilton	Marussia	Cosworth
22	20	Charles Pic	Caterham	Renault