SUZUKA, JAPAN // The smiles on the Mercedes-GP pit wall at Suzuka told onlookers all they needed to know. Normal service has resumed.
A week ago in Singapore, the German team who have dominated Formula One for the past 18 months had been strangely off the pace, put in the shade by both Ferrari and Red Bull Racing as they struggled for grip at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.
No signs of those problems could be seen in Japan on Saturday as Mercedes were the class of the field in qualifying. Nico Rosberg claimed the 17th pole position of his career, and second this season, edging out teammate Lewis Hamilton by 0.076 seconds with a lap time of one minute, 32.584 seconds.
Valtteri Bottas was the best of the rest, in his Williams, but the Finn was 0.4 seconds adrift, with Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari, the winner in Singapore, 0.6 behind.
Mercedes, at least in public, had remained baffled at the reasons for their problems in Singapore, when an inability to get their tyres heated properly left them fifth and sixth on the grid, when they had previously taken pole at all 11 races in 2015.
But the long straights and fast, sweeping curves of the 5.8km Suzuka track were expected to suit the Mercedes W106 chassis and its powerful engine and Rosberg and Hamilton comfortably fulfilled that expectation by effectively having a private fight for top positions of the team’s 10th front-row lockout of 2015.
So, it appears as if Singapore were a blip for Mercedes rather than a renaissance for Ferrari, with Vettel no threat to them in qualifying and the German’s teammate Kimi Raikkonen down in sixth.
Mercedes had dominated yesterday’s final practice, the first dry session of the weekend after rain had hampered Friday’s two sessions, so it was no surprise to see Rosberg and Hamilton shine when it came to deciding the grid positions for Sunday’s race, which starts at 9am UAE time.
That did not prevent the looks of joy from the senior staff at Mercedes, with the big grin on Niki Lauda’s face, the non-executive chairman of the team, as he shook hands with his colleagues, emphasising just how relieved they were to confirm that Singapore was an aberration.
Rosberg confirmed that view as he said: “It is fantastic after such a difficult weekend in Singapore to be back to our usual strength.
“We really turned things around and optimised everything for this track and for me I pretty much nailed my laps today, so I am pleased with the way it went and it is a great position.”
Hamilton will not be too downhearted as he started second behind Rosberg here 12 months ago and still went on to be win.
He and Rosberg got only one timed lap in the final part of qualifying as the session was ended early – after Daniil Kvyat’s Red Bull crashed heavily at Turn 11, denying Hamilton a second crack at trying to beat his teammate’s time.
The omens are good for Rosberg, ahead of today’s race.
On the two occasions that the German has led through the first corner this season, in Spain and Austria, he went on to win the race. He could certainly do with a repeat of that here.
He trails Hamilton by 41 points in the drivers’ standings, and with only six races of the season remaining time is beginning to run out for his hopes of reeling in his rival.
Track position is crucial at Suzuka, with overtaking difficult in dry conditions, which are forecast for the 53-lap race, but converting pole into the lead at the start is by no means a certainty for Rosberg.
He has struggled to get off the line of late, and has lost positions on the run to Turn 1 at the past five races.
While he will worry about that part of Sunday’s work, he and the team will reflect on the return of the 2015 status quo. Barring mechanical problems or botched getaways at the start, the fight for the win should be a duel between Rosberg and Hamilton.
gcaygill@thenational.ae
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