The Australian won the Red Bull battle to claim third on the grid behind the pace-setting Mercedes duo, and was only three-tenths off Nico Rosberg’s pole-winning time, an improvement over the gap that separated him from the Silver Arrows on day one.
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As such, it was an important step for Rosberg, who lost the championship lead to Hamilton for the first time this season following the Briton’s fifth win in six races last weekend.
“It’s there and it is all ready to go”, said Rosberg.
“Saying that, we were very quick on Friday in Hungary, but then on Saturday and Sunday everyone else was very close”.
Lap 45 witnessed the unusual phenomenon of an argument between Sebastian Vettel and his Ferrari crew: the team told the German to pit, but Vettel flat out refused since he felt the auto was still ideal. “The performance of any driver going beyond this point, with any part of the auto, will be examined in order to establish whether or not an advantage was gained by exceeding this limit”.
“Not only was it just one lap that I had but I also had extra fuel to make sure that I would have an extra shot if a mistake or something happens”, said Rosberg after the session. “He is probably looking at us thinking I can beat them just like I did when I was his age”. That will the target.
“It’s so close. I’m out there at every race with the opportunity to win and it is always very close between us”.
Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg, McLaren’s Jenson Button, Sergio Perez of Force India and McLaren’s Fernando Alonso completed the top 10, all more than a second behind.
Both Friday practice sessions proved straightforward affairs, with the only curiosity being the continuing debate about drivers exceeding track limits.
Rosberg had a better start to the season, sweeping the first four races. There were loud cheers from the home crowd – but they didn’t last long, with stewards quickly announcing an inquiry, for Rosberg seemed to simply drive Verstappen off the track, leaving him no space to turn.
However, Ricciardo did take five laps to set a time in Qualifying Two, meaning he’ll start the race on tyres that are two laps older than most of the drivers he is a competing against. No German driver has won back-to-back races at home.
“So, I think that’s the reason why it is postponed, for now”. I’ve missed out on pole, so I didn’t do what I was supposed to do – but it’s in the past now, so you just let it go and look forward. It would be faster and there would be less run-off area, so we couldn’t possibly contemplate that. We gave him two chances, so a great lap, good job.
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Rosberg had been fastest in all three practice sessions and was quickest in qualifying, but had to overcome adversity to ensure he would lead Sunday’s race at Hockenheimring from the start of the grid in dramatic fashion.
