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Formula 1
Spanish GP
2012 Spanish Grand Prix Qualifying
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9 min: Hamilton knows his time is good and has stepped out of the McLaren for a quick break ahead of Q3.
9 min: Vergne and Ricciardo head out for the first time in this segment, with around six minutes to go.
9 min: Raikkonen finally makes a move in his Lotus, as does team-mate Grosjean.
8 min: Maldonado crosses the line in 1m23.850s and that puts him in ninth position, with Kobayashi 10th.
8 min: Massa could only manage 12th fastest with his run on used softs.
8 min: So it's Hamilton from Webber, Button, Rosberg, Vettel, Schumacher, Alonso and Perez in eighth so far.
8 min: Hamilton will be very happy with that time, while Button complains of a struggle with the rear tyres under braking.
7 min: Webber delivers a much better lap and moves into second place with a time of 1m22.977s.
7 min: McLaren come around much quicker, with Hamilton setting a rapid 1m22.465s to top the times, over half a second faster than team-mate Button.
7 min: Vettel does 1m23.444s on his hot lap and that places him fifth.
7 min: Schumacher is into fourth slot with a time of 1m23.517s.
6 min: Alonso slots in second fastest with a 1m23.608s effort.
6 min: Rosberg moves to the front with a lap of 1m23.401s.
6 min: Di Resta is eight-tenths slower than Kobayashi with a time of 1m24.827s.
6 min: Kobayashi sets the ball rolling with a 1m24.031s lap.
5 min: Maldonado heads out, leaving just four drivers in the pitlane.
5 min: The early runners are now into the first hot lap.
4 min: No move as yet from Ricciardo, Vergne or Maldonado.
4 min: Vettel and Webber do not delay this time and are out with the rest of the field.
4 min: Hamilton and Button join the circulating pack, as do the Ferrari pair.
4 min: Schumacher is next onto the track.
3 min: Rosberg and Hulkenberg join them on track for a run.
3 min: Perez joins his team-mate on track to bank an early time.
3 min: Kobayashi heads out in his Sauber.
3 min: Di Resta joins Kobayashi on the circuit.
1 min: Senna arrives back from his lonely walk and the explanation is about to begin.
0 min: Just as in the first segment, no takers in the first minute of Q2
Q2 begins at the Circuit de Catalunya.
Now the drivers move on to the next challenge. They will have 15 minutes to try and secure a slot in the top 10 shootout.
Jean-Eric Vergne will be pleased to end a poor run of Q1 performances. Senna's error ensured the Frenchman's progression in 17th.
Hamilton ended up over six tenths clear of the field, but Red Bull's strategy looked wiser - conserving a set of hard tyres for the race.
The Red Bull waiting game paid off, with Webber ending the segment in ninth and team-mate Vettel 12th.
Senna walks back to the pits to give the unfortunate explanation to his team. He fails to make it through by just over six-tenths of a second.
Just 1.7 seconds covered the top 17 drivers progressing to the second segment.
The first period of qualifying has been completed and these seven drivers are eliminated:
18) Senna
19) Petrov
20) Kovalainen
21) Pic
22) Glock
23) de la Rosa
NQ) Karthikeyan.
18) Senna
19) Petrov
20) Kovalainen
21) Pic
22) Glock
23) de la Rosa
NQ) Karthikeyan.
Petrov grabs 19th in a late effort of Caterham, outqualifying Kovalainen who has likely been forced to back off for Senna's yellow flags.
Senna climbs out of the car as team boss Sir Frank Williams watches on. It is all over for the Brazilian.
Senna was looking good but he has spun into the gravel! He is eliminated.
Perez has abandoned his late effort and remains a risky 16th in his Sauber.
Senna is 18th and on one last attempt to try and get out of the dropzone.
By: Emlyn Hughes, Geoff Creighton
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