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By: Geoff Creighton

Summary

Status: Stopped
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bottas describes qualifying as "straightforward" for Mercedes but said they couldn't achieve the same grip levels as Ferrari despite gaining understanding of the tyres as the session wore on.
 
 
Vettel says he was "a bit beaten up" after the first Q3 runs, losing the rear in a couple of places, but he turned it around when it mattered.
Renault impressed with Hulkenberg's effort in seventh, as Ricciardo thanks his mechanics for getting him out for this session.
"That was magic man!" exclaims Perez after putting Force India eighth.
Vettel climbs from his car and gives his patented single-finger salute to the crowd on the main straight.
 
Rest of the grid: 11 Magnussen; 12 Ocon; 13 Alonso; 14 Vandoorne; 15 Hartley; 16 Sirotkin; 17 Gasly; 18 Stroll; 19 Leclerc; 20 Ericsson
Q3 result: 1 Vettel; 2 Raikkonen +0.087s; 3 Bottas +0.530s; 4 Hamilton +0.580s; 5 Verstappen +0.701s; 6 Ricciardo +0.853s; 7 Hulkenberg; 8 Perez; 9 Sainz; 10 Grosjean
The Red Bulls stay fifth and sixth behind the Mercedes, Verstappen ahead.
Vettel beats Raikkonen by 0.087s to snatch pole!
Raikkonen slightly improves his time and is now 0.179s clear of Vettel - who's approaching the end of his lap.
Hamilton abandons his lap - he'll start no higher than fourth!
Chequered flag falls. That's the end of qualifying in China.
Bottas improves but is still third behind the Ferraris.
Raikkonen blasts in with a first sector best 0.3s up on what the Mercedes were doing and just ahead of Vettel too.
Bottas does the fastest middle sector of anyone so far, though...
 
Bottas and Hamilton begin their flying laps, but the first sectors aren't times that are going to worry Ferrari.
 
Here we go. Last chance to get it done in the pole shooutout.
 
 
Replays show Vettel picking up some oversteer on that lap, so more time in him for sure.
 
Order so far: 1 Raikkonen; 2 Vettel +0.161s; 3 Bottas +0.425s; 4 Hamilton +0.475s; 5 Verstappen +0.639s; 6 Ricciardo +0.748s; 7 Hulkenberg; 8 Grosjean; 9 Sainz; 10 Perez (no time yet)
Hamilton's first run puts him only fourth, nearly half a second off the pace and half a tenth down on Bottas.
Ricciardo's first effort puts him third, then Bottas beats him.
Vettel can only take second, 0.161s off Raikkonen.
Raikkonen goes fastest for now by 1.4s over Hulkenberg.
Raikkonen is the man turning the timing screen purple so far.
Hulkenberg is first on the board with a 1m32.602s, Grosjean slots in a quarter of a second slower.

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