Qualifying
1. Hamilton
2. Button
3. Vette

Podium

1.Hamilton
2. Button
3. Webber

_______________

Poor old Lotus......their hospitality unit went on fire last night and was badly damaged. Apparently the fire started in the catering unit which was on the lower ground floor section but the rest of the hospitality complex was badly smoke damaged.

Had to smile though, as when Lee McKenzie asked the Lotus press officer what the main ramifications were for the team he responded "We're starving because we haven't been able to get any breakfast!"

Burnt the chips?

I'll bet that was the cause but they'll blame the good old "electrical fault"!

Apparently Kimi lost a couple of spare helmets in the fire and that leads us into the reason as to why he missed getting around the track in time in Q1 last week; without telling the team, he had returned to the pits to change helmets, for reasons best known to himself! His race engineer was shouting over the radio at him to get out on track but then it was pointed out that Kimi's rado earpieces were still in the old helmet and he couldn't hear his engineer!

You couldn't make it up!

Morning!

Did the Jake Wannabe really just use the otters pocket line? What an eejit!!

Rosberg's Mercedes was performing very strong this morning!

What is the point of Georgie Thompson? She has about 2 lines every other hour in the Sky Pod.

The Sky companion app is very good, timing screens, extra camera angles etc very well done, worth a download if yo have an iPad.

She doesn't even look that good!

That hairstyle does her no favours. I had no idea who she was so looked her up just now - looks better with her hair down.

Interesting that pretty much everybody predicted Herr Fingerwagger top 3 in quali - quite a way off reality. Well done Lewis, Jenson and Michael.

Also a recently convicted drink driver. Not a brilliant CV for a motor racing presenter.

Its shaping up to be an interesting season, this. Red Bull so-so. McLaren looking strong. Mercedes and Lotus resurgent. Ferrari nowhere - 9 and 12 is remarkable.

Is it just me or does Schumacher look like an old man trying to be trendy, in his baseball cap

Can't wait for the race now, great quali.

Woohoo another flawless delivery of 2 lines by Georgie Thompson yay!



Jenson Button drove from London back to Frome drunk.

Another satisfying front row lock-out for Mclaren. Red Bull know they're not on Mclaren's pace despite Horner's waffle in the week, hence their strategy choice for Vettel.

Can't make my mind up about how to feel about Schuey in 3rd. "Let us never forget about Adelaide 1994..."

Jeez - I hope people aren't still holding things against me I did 18 years ago!

Didn't know that, and a quick google reveals nothing?

He went for a night out in London then decide to drive home. He woke up at home without a clue of how he had got there!

He wasnt caught though so I only know about it becuase a girl i know recently started going out with his mate Chris Buncombe.

has any one got a link i can wtch this on line please!!!

Dare I mention SkyGo?

NO!! lol

can't help but feel, if Lewis looses this race, he will be the stroppiest kid on the planet !

Here

Thanks to bezzer in the Australian GP thread watched the full Qualy crystal-clear on my laptop this morning here:

Live Stream

What time do I need to be getting up tomorrow to watch this?

As I think the hour changes tonight, doesn't it?

Sure does Jim - only advantage of doing a clock change night shift - one hour less in work! Race starts at 09:00am UK Time but move yer clock forward when you hit the sack.....

I have a little button on the bedside clock that I get to press twice a year - tonight's the night!

Past history of iPhone alarm clocks suggests that owners might want to consider other options until they can do it manually...

Who's that Gary guy on BBC? He's not very easy to understand and has a boring way of talking.

Looking forward to the race. Impressed with Lotus - as a car they are up there with the best, so expect complaints about tricks and cheating. Ferrari I guess will be out of the picture. Wouldn't be surprised to see people up high decide they should pull the plug on this season. Their company image is suffering big time. Ferrari should be faster than a Renault.

Still watching BBC. I do miss Brundle, I loved his pitwalks. I feel less involved because of the much reduced pre-race programme, but actually I don't care about not seeing it live. Belgian TV has live broadcast but the presentors don't know anything and there are advertisements (though there is a PIP with the race) so I don't watch a single second live.