Qualifying for the Chinese Formula 1 Grand Prix in Shanghai kicks off at 4.00pm AEST, and The Roar will be your one-stop destination for live updates all session.
Shake off your chocolate-induced lethargy and, uh, get comfortable on the couch – Formula One has returned from its Easter break to set up shop in China for Round 3 of the 2013 World Championship.
The first two rounds of the season are difficult to read – Melbourne is a unique circuit from which little can truly be learnt, while Sepang is at the very extreme end of the tyre wear and temperature scales.
Shanghai represents a circuit more moderate in its qualities. Over the course of 5.45 kilometres, drivers encounter only a handful of medium or fast corners, the rest of the track being made up of tight and twisty stuff or long stretches of straight road.
As is now customary at this time of year, drivers will continue to complain about the Pirelli tyres while the teams still struggle to understand how to maximise the longevity of the rubber.
Shanghai is much easier for tyre wear, but the lower ambient temperatures mean cars will have to work hard to keep heat in the tyres, lest they grain quickly – as free practice has been demonstrating.
If you’re new to qualifying in Formula One, expect the afternoon to run something like this: the first 20 minutes will seek to eliminate the slowest six cars from running – all of whom will be assigned a spot on tomorrow’s grid based on their order.
Q2 last for fifteen minutes, at the end of which the next slowest six cars are switched off and put away before the race.
Finally, Q3 has the fastest ten drivers fight for pole position in a ten-minute knock-out session.
Red Bull continues to struggle on its tyres over a race distance – but the car’s one lap pace is arguably the best in the field.
Meanwhile, Mercedes will be hoping to make it back-to-back victories in China with a revitalised MGP W04.
But why speculate? Qualifying will kick off at 4PM AEST. Let’s find out for ourselves.
Michael Lamonato
Expert
Great result for him - it's a real chance to bag a few extra points, particularly in the battle against his teammate. And it's great stuff for Toro Rosso and its new technical direction.
Michael Lamonato
Expert
And that's that for qualifying from the 2013 Formula One Chinese Grand Prix. Fascinating result, and many questions to be answered for tomorrow's race. What tricks will Red Bull pull to catapult Vettel up the order? And can Mercedes maintain its pace and dominate the race like last year? For Australia: Mark Webber has a battle ahead of him - possibly along with a penalty for running out of fuel - but Daniel Ricciardo is in a great position to catch a few frontrunners off guard and take home a few bonus points. Join us tomorrow from 4:30PM AEST for a wrap up of qualifying's aftermath, and live coverage of the main event: the Chinese Grand Prix. See you then!
Michael Lamonato
Expert
From the press conference: HAMILTON "Incredible feeling. So happy to have our first pole for some time. I'm just ecstatic, really. "These tyres are very tricky this weekend. Making the option tyre last is almost impossible, so it's going to be quite a short stint at the beginning. "Still, I think we have competitive race pace... so I hope we can maintain position." RAIKKONEN "I think the gap is still quite big, we don't have that speed right now. "Second isn't too bad, I think it's the best I've been with the team [but] I think we're missing the downforce in the middle sector. "We'll see what we can do tomorrow." ALONSO Very, very happy. I think the weekend has been good for us. The car is responding well. I think we have a good setup for the race as well, which is more important than qualifying. "If everything goes well, we should be able to fight for the podium with both cars, so good news for the team."
Michael Lamonato
Expert
2013 FORMULA ONE CHINESE GRAND PRIX: PROVISIONAL GRID: 01. Hamilton 02. Raikkonen 03. Alonso 04. Rosberg 05. Massa 06. Grosjean 07. Ricciardo 08. Button 09. Vettel 10. Hulkenberg 11. di Resta 12. Perez 13. Sutil 14. Webber 15. Maldonado 16. Vergne 17. Bottas 18. Gutierrez 19. Bianchi 20. Chilton 21. Pic 22. van der Garde
Michael Lamonato
Expert
Vettel never completed a flying lap, while Hulkenberg never left the pits at all - which is why they'll have free choice as to what tyre they'll start on tomorrow. Button is the only one to qualify on medium tyres - to which he replied 'excellent' when told so over his team radio. Very Bond villain-esque.
Michael Lamonato
Expert
Here's your top ten, complete with the tyre compound they'll be starting on tomorrow: P01: Lewis Hamilton (SOFT) P02: Kimi Raikkonen (SOFT) P03: Fernando Alonso (SOFT) P04: Nico Rosberg (SOFT) P05: Felipe Massa (SOFT) P06: Romain Grosjean (SOFT) P07: Daniel Ricciardo (SOFT) P08: Jenson Button (MEDIUM) P09: Sebastian Vettel (FREE CHOICE) P10: Nico Hulkneberg (FREE CHOICE)
Michael Lamonato
Expert
Mercedes definitely the most sure-footed car out there today. Rosberg must be kicking himself for making that mistake at the final corner - he may well have challenged for pole. He starts from fourth.
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
You beauty Daniel Ricciardo! Awesome. Hopefully he can come through with some points tomorrow!
Michael Lamonato
Expert
I say Button resigns from the session - but it worked out for him. Vettel abandoned his lap entirely, which means even Button's leisurely lap on the medium tyre was enough to out-do him on the grid. He qualifies eighth.
Michael Lamonato
Expert
HAMILTON WINS POLE POSITION. It's all over. Lewis Hamilton ends the session fastest, three-tenths ahead of Kimi Raikkonen's Lotus and Fernando Alonso's Ferrari.
Michael Lamonato
Expert
Hulkenberg doesn't set a lap, Vettel abandons after locking up in the final sector, and Button resigns from the session...
Michael Lamonato
Expert
Hamilton still fastest, Raikkonen then Alonso. Rosberg, Massa, Grosjean...
Michael Lamonato
Expert
Raikkonen's first over the line and goes fastest. Rosberg goes second after a mistake on the last corner. Hamilton goes fastest...
Michael Lamonato
Expert
Everyone's on track just in time for the chequered flag to fall. Here come the flying laps...
Michael Lamonato
Expert
It may well also suggest that Red Bull isn't confident enough they'll be on pole to burn through Vettel's last set of soft tyres. Interesting...
Michael Lamonato
Expert
BUT Vettel has joined them on MEDIUM tyres, which is completely unexpected. The medium tyre is far and away the slower tyre - but remember, the top ten must start tomorrow's race on whatever tyres they finished qualifying on. So Vettel and Red Bull thinks it'll be a better strategy to start a little further down but on the harder tyre. WHAT A TWIST.
Michael Lamonato
Expert
AND both Mercedes fire up and head out, followed by Raikkonen, Alonso, and everyone else except Button and Grosjean.
Michael Lamonato
Expert
Just three and a half minutes to go until the end of Q3. Only Vettel has been out so far, so he's... uh... on provisional pole.
Michael Lamonato
Expert
...so, in the event that happens, Vettel will at least start ahead of all of them.
Michael Lamonato
Expert
To explain: all cars must use both compounds of tyre during the race. If some cars have already used up all their soft tyres (which are the only one to have been used so far), they may decide that it's better to save what life is left in them for tomorrow, rather than waste the rubber on gaining a few grid spots.