Red Bull recorded their second front-row lock-out in a row but this time it was Mark Webber’s turn to take the pole slot. The Australian’s time of 1 minute 37.242 was enough to edge out team mate Sebastian Vettel. Championship leader, Fernando Alonso lines up fourth, separated from the Red Bulls by Lewis Hamilton. Lotus showed signs that their upgrades may be delivering with Kimi Raikkonen fifth quickest but Jenson Button missed out on the Q3 shoot-out after yellow flags prevented him from rectifying a mistake he’d made on his first run in Q2.
 

 
Qualifying Facts

• Red Bull’s pole is a landmark 200th for Renault as an engine supplier.
• This is Mark Webber’s second pole position of the season, his first, at Monaco came as a result of Michael Schumacher’s grid penalty.
• This is the second time this season that four German drivers have made it through to the final qualifying shoot-out. The previous occurrence was at the Australian Grand Prix.
• Lewis Hamilton remains the only driver to have reached Q3 every weekend in 2012.

 
Q3 Summary

 
Qualifying Lap Times

107% time: 1:45.082

¹ Pic received a 10-place penalty for a replacement engine, his 9th of the season. He qualified 21st but will start 24th.
² Karthikeyan suffered a brake problem during Q1 and did not set a time, he starts in 23rd place after the stewards approved his entry.
³ Ricciardo qualified 16th but will start the race in 21st place after taking a 5-place gearbox penalty.

Best Sector Times

 
What are your predictions for the race? Will Red Bull play the team orders card? Was Button wrong to slow for the yellow flag when the Lotus drivers escaped a penalty? Who was lucky and who was unlucky today? Let us know your thoughts in the comments…

Photo: Red Bull Racing/Clive Rose/Getty Images