Chinese Grand Prix. This Sunday at 06:10 Irish Time.

[SteveB]

Chinese Grand Prix Qualifying; How they will line up tomorrow.


1 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari
2 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari
3 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes
4 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
5 Max Verstappen Red Bull
6 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull
7 Nico Hulkenberg Renault
8 Sergio Perez Force India
9 Carlos Sainz Jr. Renault
10 Romain Grosjean Haas
11 Kevin Magnussen Haas
12 Esteban Ocon Force India
13 Fernando Alonso McLaren
14 Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren
15 Brendon Hartley Toro Rosso
16 Sergey Sirotkin Williams
17 Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso
18 Lance Stroll Williams
19 Charles Leclerc Sauber
20 Marcus Ericsson Sauber

[SteveB]

Very early start steve. Do u think it will be 3 in a row for vettel?

Hard to predict. 60% of Chinese Grand Prix have been won from pole, but since it is an easy circuit to overtake this statistic probably doesn’t mean too much.
There was little between the times of the Ferraris and the Mercedes cars but both Mercedes were having trouble with tyre temperatures with the cool track conditions. Both Mercedes cars are faster than the Ferraris if they could sort out their tyre management.

Another statistic Lewis Hamilton will be hoping is not significant is that no-one has won the first two Grand Prix and not gone on to won the championship.
Both Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel are looking for a fifth championship this year to equal the great Juan Manuel Fangio. One of them is likely to get it.

[SteveB]

Wouldn't bet against Lewis Hamilton. He needs this win and the first two wins for Sebastian Vettel did involve a bit of luck and good opportunist strategy.

[Stanley34]

Come on vertex

[SteveB]

Did it start at 6.10 irish time.

Sorry 7:00 Irish time. Got my GMT and Irish Time mixed up. Interesting race now.

[SteveB]

Kimi Räikkönen has been sacrificed to help Sebastian Vettel win.
Safety car out now.

Valtri Bottas, then Sebastian Vettel , then Lewis Hamilton out front. But they are all on old tyres and closed up by safety car. Anything could happen yet.

[SteveB]

Lewis Hamilton loses third to Daniel Ricciardo. Daniel Ricciardo is now chasing Sebastian Vettel.

[SteveB]

Lewis Hamilton now fifth.

[SteveB]

Daniel Ricciardo takes second from Vettel. Daniel Ricciardo has easy pickings because he has the better tyres.

[SteveB]

Vettel and Bottas collide.