Mercedes GP’s best placed driver was Nico Rosberg, in 5th place, ahead of Mark Webber and 7-time world champion Michael Schumacher, Reigning world champion Jenson Button scored only the 8th fastest time of the Q3, after previously struggling in the final stages of Q2. The last two positions on the grid – inside the Top 10 – belonged to Renault’s Robert Kubica and Force India’s Adrian Sutil.
Williams failed to get both its drivers in the Q3, with Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg settling for 11th and 13th respectively. Force India also had to settle for a single driver in the Top 10, as Vitantonio Liuzzi was only able to score the 12th fastest time in Q2. The other drivers that had to call it a day after 35 minutes of running on Saturday were Pedro de la Rosa (14), Sebastien Buemi (15), Kamui Kobayashi (16) and Vitaly Petrov (17).
The newly entrants were easily outclassed during Q1, but more importantly there were no incidents or important clashes with the championship’s frontrunners. Karun Chandhok was obviously the last on the grid, as he entered the Saturday qualifying without a single lap of running with his HRT F1 car.
23rd overall was Bruno Senna, more than 8 seconds behind Q1 leader Fernando Alonso, while Lucas di Grassi and Heikki Kovalainen had to settle for 22nd and 21st respectively. Along with Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock, the other two drivers competing for the new teams, Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguersuari also failed to qualify for Q2, settling for 18th overall.
For the full results of the Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying session, click here.
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