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Sunday, May 12, 2013

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


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