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<B>POOR OLD WEBBER:</B> Red Bull's Mark Webber is not having a good start to the China GP, he has been sent to the back of the grid for Sunday's race (April 13) when his car did not have enough fuek to provide a sample.<i>IMAGE: AFP</I>.
SHANGHAI, China - Red Bull's Mark Webber was sent to the back of the 2013 Chinese Grand Prixgrid for running out of fuel during qualifying.
Formula 1's governing International Automobile Federation said the team admitted it had failed to put sufficient fuel in the car to get it back to the pits and provide a mandatory one-litre sample.
The FIA said the car had only 150ml of fuel left in the tank. Webber had qualified 14th after parking his car at the side of the track.
NO HARD FEELINGS
Webber said: "This was out of my hands. I can't be disappointed for my performance."
Team principal Christian Horner said the problem was with the bowser, the tank that holds the fuel for the rig to deliver to the car. "On Mark's in-lap we saw large drop outs in the fuel tank collector and the car unfortunately ran out of fuel.
"The fuel bowser was quarantined for further investigation. It's a shame as he would obviously have made Q3 (the top 10) today and the tactic with both drivers was to adopt the same strategy."
Team mate and championship leader Sebastian Vettel, who caused a storm at the previous race in Malaysia when he ignored team orders and overtook Webber,to win, qualified ninth after having to abort his one attempted lap in the final phase due to a brake problem.
TYRE ADVANTAGE
However he qualified on the harder tyres and is likely to be leading the race when all those ahead of him on the softer rubber make early stops.
The German started from the pits lane in Abu Dhabi in 2012 due to a lack of fuel in qualifying when fighting for the third title that he ultimately won. He told reporters he was concerned that Webber's problem could be a similar one.
Stay with Wheels24 for the 2013 Formula 1 season – fresh reports every day.
Final qualifying times for the 2013 Chinese Formula 1 GP in Shanghai
1 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes 1min34.484
2 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus 1min34.761
3 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min34.788
4 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min34.861
5 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min34.933
6 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus 1min35.364
7 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso 1min35.998
8 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 2min05.673
9 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull
10 Nico Hulkenberg (Germany) Sauber
11 Paul di Resta (Britain) Force India 1min36.287
12 Sergio Perez (Mexico) McLaren 1min36.314
13 Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India 1min36.405
14 Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1min36.679
15 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1min37.139
16 Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso 1min37.199
17 Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Williams 1min37.769
18 Esteban Gutierrez (Mexico) Sauber 1min37.990
19 Jules Bianchi (France) Marussia 1min38.780
20 Max Chilton (Britain) Marussia 1min39.537
21 Charles Pic (France) Caterham 1min39.614
22 Giedo van der Garde (Netherlands) Caterham 1min39.660
1-10min Third and final qualifying session
11-16min Second qualifying session
17-22min First qualifying session
Formula 1's governing International Automobile Federation said the team admitted it had failed to put sufficient fuel in the car to get it back to the pits and provide a mandatory one-litre sample.
The FIA said the car had only 150ml of fuel left in the tank. Webber had qualified 14th after parking his car at the side of the track.
NO HARD FEELINGS
Webber said: "This was out of my hands. I can't be disappointed for my performance."
Team principal Christian Horner said the problem was with the bowser, the tank that holds the fuel for the rig to deliver to the car. "On Mark's in-lap we saw large drop outs in the fuel tank collector and the car unfortunately ran out of fuel.
"The fuel bowser was quarantined for further investigation. It's a shame as he would obviously have made Q3 (the top 10) today and the tactic with both drivers was to adopt the same strategy."
Team mate and championship leader Sebastian Vettel, who caused a storm at the previous race in Malaysia when he ignored team orders and overtook Webber,to win, qualified ninth after having to abort his one attempted lap in the final phase due to a brake problem.
TYRE ADVANTAGE
However he qualified on the harder tyres and is likely to be leading the race when all those ahead of him on the softer rubber make early stops.
The German started from the pits lane in Abu Dhabi in 2012 due to a lack of fuel in qualifying when fighting for the third title that he ultimately won. He told reporters he was concerned that Webber's problem could be a similar one.
Stay with Wheels24 for the 2013 Formula 1 season – fresh reports every day.
Final qualifying times for the 2013 Chinese Formula 1 GP in Shanghai
1 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes 1min34.484
2 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus 1min34.761
3 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min34.788
4 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min34.861
5 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min34.933
6 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus 1min35.364
7 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso 1min35.998
8 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 2min05.673
9 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull
10 Nico Hulkenberg (Germany) Sauber
11 Paul di Resta (Britain) Force India 1min36.287
12 Sergio Perez (Mexico) McLaren 1min36.314
13 Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India 1min36.405
14 Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1min36.679
15 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1min37.139
16 Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso 1min37.199
17 Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Williams 1min37.769
18 Esteban Gutierrez (Mexico) Sauber 1min37.990
19 Jules Bianchi (France) Marussia 1min38.780
20 Max Chilton (Britain) Marussia 1min39.537
21 Charles Pic (France) Caterham 1min39.614
22 Giedo van der Garde (Netherlands) Caterham 1min39.660
1-10min Third and final qualifying session
11-16min Second qualifying session
17-22min First qualifying session
